PCC membership rules

The Parochial Church Council

Membership

    The PCC consists of:

  • the Vicar (CRR rule 14(1)(a))
  • any deaconess or lay worker licensed to the parish (CRR rule 14(1)(b))
  • the Churchwardens (if they are actual communicants) (CRR rule 14(1)(d))
  • any Lay Reader licensed to the parish whose name is on the electoral roll if the annual meeting so determines (CRR rule 14(1)(e))
  • any lay members of the General Synod or any Diocesan or Deanery Synod whose name is on the electoral roll (CRR rule 14(1)(f))
  • 12 elected members of the laity (4 elected each year for a 3 year term) (CRR rule 14(1)(g))
  • up to 2 co-opted members (CRR rule 14(1)(h))

Churchwardens

Two churchwardens are chosen by the annual meeting each year (CM section 4(1)).
Nominations for candidates for election as churchwarden must be in writing and received by the vicar (or churchwarden convening the meeting) before the start of the meeting (CM section 4(4)).
A candidate for churchwarden must at least 21 years old, an actual communicant and on the church electoral roll (unless the bishop in exceptional circumstances permits a departure from those requirememnts in a particular case) (CM section 1) and must not be disqualified (see below).
Normally both churchwardens are elected by the annual meeting but in exceptional circumstances one may be appointed by the vicar and the other elected by the meeting (CM section 4(5)).
They take office when admitted at the Archdeacon’s Visitation (normally held in May) and continue in office until their successor is admmitted (CM section 6). A new churchwarden is a member of the PCC between their election and admission and the outgoing churchwarden remains both churchwarden and a member of the PCC until the admission of their successor (CRR rule 14(2)).
A churchwarden cannot serve more than 6 years continuously (CM section 3).

Deanery Synod Representatives

Representatives to the Deanery Synod are elected every 3 years. the last election was in 2014 so the next is due in 2017.
The number to be elected depends on the number on the church electoral roll, currently it is 3 members of the laity.
Representatives take office on 1st June but become members of the PCC immediately. At the end of their term of office they will continue as members of the Deanery Synod and the PCC until 31st May (CRR rule 16(5)).
A representative to the Deanery Synod must be at least 16 years old, an actual communicant, on the church electoral roll and, unless (s)he is under 18 at the date of election, been on the roll for at least 6 months before the election (CRR rule 10) and must not be disqualified (see below).

Elected PCC members

The number of members to be elected depends on the number on the church electoral roll. If there are more than 100 and less than 201 names then the number of elected members is 12 (CRR rule 14(g)). Each member (unless filling a vacancy) serves for three years. Those filling a vacancy serve for the remainder of the term. This means that 4 members will retire each year and be eligible for re-election (CRR rule 16).
Members serve from the end of the annual meeting until the end of the annual meeting in the year in which their term of office ends (CRR rule 16). Where there is a vacancy the PCC can fill it (unless the vacancy arises less than 2 months before the annual meeting) (CRR rule 48).
An elected member of the PCC must be at least 16 years old, an actual communicant, on the church electoral roll and, unless (s)he is under 18 at the date of election, been on the roll for at least 6 months before the election (CRR rule 10) and must not be disqualified (see below).

Co-opted members

The PCC can co-opt up to 2 co-opted members. They must be at least 16 years old and not be disqualified (see below). They can be either members of the laity who are actual communicants or the clergy. There is no requirement that their names are on the electoral roll.
If there are 15 elected members due to there being more than 200 names on the electoral roll then there can be up to 3 co-opted members.
Co-opted members cease to be members at the end of the annual meeting following their co-option (although they can be co-opted again at a PCC meeting) (CRR rule 14(1)(g)).

Disqualifications

    The following people are disqualified (CRR rule 46A and CM section 2) from being elected or serving as Churchwardens, members of Deanery or other Synods or members (either elected or co-opted) of the PCC:

  • anyone who is disqualified from being a charity trustee under section 72(1) of the Charities Act 1993 and the disqualification is not for the time being subject to a waiver by the Charity Commissioners;
    • (note – a person is disqualified from being a charity trustee under the Charities Act if they have been convicted of an offence involving deception or dishonesty (unless any such conviction is legally regarded as spent), if they are an undischarged bankrupt, have made compositions or arrangements with any creditors from which they have not been discharged or have been removed from serving as a charity trustee, or been stopped from acting in a management position within a charity);
  • anyone who is included in a barred list (within the meaning of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006);
  • anyone has been convicted of an offence mentioned in Schedule 1 to the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (unless the person’s disqualification under this sub-section has been waived in writing by the bishop of the diocese in question);
  • anyone who has been so disqualified from holding office under section 10(6) of the Incumbents (Vacation of Benefices) Measure 1977.

Notes

“Actual communicant” means a person who has received communion according to the use of the Church of England or of a Church in communion with the Church of England at least three times during the twelve months preceding the date of his election or appointment being a person whose name is on the roll of a parish and is either –
(a) confirmed or ready and desirous of being confirmed; or
(b) receiving the Holy Communion as a baptized person who is a communicant member of another Church which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and who is in good standing in their own Church (CRR rule 54).

CRR is the Church Representation Rules, which are available online at https://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/structure/churchlawlegis/church-representation-rules/church-representation-rules-online.aspx

CM is the Churchwardens Measure 2001, which is available online at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/2001/1/contents

 


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