PCC procedure

Officers

  • The Vicar is the chairman of the PCC (CRR App II para 1(a)).
  • One of the lay members of the PCC should be elected as vice-chairman (CRR App II para 1(b)). The vice-chairman acts as chairman during a vacancy in the benefice or when the chairman is incapacitated or invites him to do so (CRR App II para 1(c)).
  • The PCC may appoint one of its members to be secretary or may appoint a non-member, who could, if appropriate, be co-opted (subject to the limit on numbers of co-opted members). The secretary has charge of all documents relating to the current business of the council (other than the electoral roll) and is responsibe for keeping the minutes and recording resolutions passed (CRR App II para 1(d)).
  • The PCC may appoint one or more of its members to be treasurer. Failing such appointment the office of treasurer shall be performed by the churchwardens or by some other fit person who is not a member but who could, if appropriate, be co-opted (subject to the limit on numbers of co-opted members) (CRR App II para 1(e)).
  • The PCC shall appoint an electoral roll officer, who need not be one of its members, who shall have charge of the roll (CRR App II para 1(f)).
  • If an independant examiner or auditor was not appointed at the APCM or the person appointed is unable or willing to act the PCC should appoint one for a period until the end of the next APCM (CRR App II para 1(g)).

Meetings – convening and notices

  • The council shall hold not less than four meetings in each year. Meetings shall be convened by the chairman and if only four meetings are held they shall be at quarterly intervals so far as possible (CRR App II para 2).
  • The chairman may at any time convene a meeting of the council. If (s)he does not do so within seven days after a requisition for that purpose signed by not less than one-third of the members of the council has been presented to him/her those members may forthwith convene a meeting (CRR App II para 3).
  • At least 10 clear days before a meeting a notice signed by or on behalf of the chairman specifying the time and place of the meeting shall be posted on or near the church door (CRR App II para 4(a)).
  • Not less than 7 days before the meeting a notice signed by or on behalf of the secretary specifying the time and place of the meeting shall posted or be delivered (or emailed for those who have agreed to the use of email) to each member. That notice should be accompanied by the agenda and notice of any motions or business proposed by any member of which the secretary is aware. This notice is not required for a meeting held immediately after the APCM solely for the purpose of appointing or electing any officers of the council or the members of the standing committee (but notice under para 4(2)(a) must be given) (CRR App II para 4(b)).
  • A meeting may be postponed for a good and sufficient reason by the chairman, vice-chairman and secretary, or any two of them. Notice shall be given to all members giving the time and date of the reconvened meeting within 14 days (CRR App II para 4(c)).
  • In the case of sudden emergency or other special circumstances requiring immediate action by the council a meeting may be convened by the chairman of the council at not less than three clear days’ notice in writing to the members of the council but the quorum for the transaction of any business at such meetings shall be a majority of the then existing members of the council and no business shall be transacted at such meeting except as is specified in the notice convening the meeting (CRR App II para 8).

Meetings – chairman, quorum and business

  • The chair at a meeting shall be taken by the chairman if (s)he is present, otherwise by the vice-chairman. If neither of those is present the members shall elect a chairman for the meeting (CRR App II para 5).
  • At any meeting the chairman presiding shall, if (s)he thinks it expedient to do so or the meeting so resolves, vacate the chair either generally or for the purposes of any business in which (s)he has a personal interest or for any other particular business (CRR App II para 5).
  • The quorum for a meeting to transact any business is that at least one third of the members are present (CRR App II para 6).
  • Business not on the agenda shall not be transacted unless at least three quarters of the members present agree (CRR App II para 6).
  • Business shall be transacted in the order in the agenda unless the council by resolution otherwise determines (CRR App II para 7).
  • Meetings shall be held at such place as the council may direct or in the absence of such direction as the chairman may direct (CRR App II para 9).
  • Voting The business of the council shall be decided by a majority of the members present and voting thereon (CRR App II para 10). In the case of an equal division of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote (CRR App II para 11).
  • Any meeting of the council may adjourn its proceedings to such time and place as may be determined at such meeting (CRR App II para 13).

Minutes

  • The names of the members present at any meeting of the council shall be recorded in the minutes (CRR App II para 12(a)).
  • If one-fifth of the members present and voting on any resolution so require, the minutes shall record the names of the members voting for and against that resolution (CRR App II para 12(b)).
  • Any member of the council shall be entitled to require that the minutes shall contain a record of the manner in which his vote was cast on any resolution (CRR App II para 12(c)).
  • Minutes of meetings of the council shall be available to all members of the Council. The members shall also have access to past minutes which the Chairman and Vice-Chairman jointly determine to be relevant to current Council business (CRR App II para 12(d)).
  • The independent examiner or auditor of the Council’s financial statements, the bishop, the archdeacon and any person authorised by one of them in writing shall have access to the approved minutes of council meetings without the authority of the Council (CRR App II para 12(e)).
  • Other persons whose names are on the church electoral roll may have access to the approved minutes of Council meetings held after the annual parochial church meeting in 1995 except any minutes deemed by the Council to be confidential (CRR App II para 12(f)).
  • Other persons may have access to the minutes of Council meetings only in accordance with a specific authorization of the Council provided that, where minutes have been deposited in the diocesan record office pursuant to the Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978, the authorization of the council may be dispensed with (CRR App II para 12(g)).

Committees

  • There shall be a standing committee consisting of not less than five persons. The vicar and churchwardens are ex-officio members of the standing committee, and the council shall by resolution appoint at least two other members of the standing committee from among its own members and may remove any person so appointed. Unless removed from office, the appointed members shall hold office from the date of their appointment until the conclusion of the next annual meeting of the parish (CRR App II para 14(a)).
  • The standing committee shall have power to transact the business of the council between the meetings thereof subject to any directions given by the council (CRR App II para 14(b)).
  • The council may appoint other committees for the purpose of the various branches of church work in the parish and may include therein persons who are not members of the council. The vicar shall be a member of all committees ex-officio (CRR App II para 15).

Notes

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

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