Synodical Government Measure 1969

2 (1) Except in a year in which a new roll is prepared, the roll of a parish shall be revised annually by or under the direction of the council. Notice of the intended revision in the form set out in section 2 of Appendix I to these rules shall be affixed by the minister or under his direction on or near the principal door of every church in the parish and every building in the parish licensed for public worship and remain so affixed for a period of not less than fourteen days before the commencement of the revision. The revision shall be completed not less than fifteen days or more than twenty-eight days before the annual parochial church meeting. E

(2) Upon every revision all enrolments or removals from the roll which have been effected since the date of the last revision (or since the formation of the roll, if there has been no previous revision) shall be reviewed, and such further enrolments or removals from the rolls as may be required shall be effected.

(3) After the completion of the revision, a copy of the roll as revised shall, together with a list of the names removed from the roll since the last revision (or since the formation of the roll, if there has been no previous revision), be published by being exhibited continuously for not less than fourteen days before the annual parochial church meeting on or near the principal door of the parish church in such manner as the council shall appoint. F1 . . . [F2 During the period while the copy is so exhibited any errors and omissions in the roll may be corrected but subject thereto and to the provisions of rule 1(2), no names shall be added to or removed from the roll during the period in any year between the completion of the revision and the close of the annual parochial church meeting.]

(4) Not less than two months before the annual parochial church meeting in the year [F3 2007] and every succeeding sixth year notice in the form set out in section 3 of Appendix 1 to these rules shall be affixed by the minister or under his direction on or near the principal door of every church in the parish and every building in the parish licensed for public worship and remain so affixed for a period of not less than fourteen days. On the affixing of the notice a new roll shall be prepared.

[F4 At every service held on each of the two Sundays within the period of fourteen days beginning with the date of the affixing of the notice or, in the case of a church in which no service is held on either of those Sundays, at every service held in that church on the first Sunday after that date the person conducting the service shall inform the congregation of the preparation of the new roll.]

[F5 (5) The parochial church council shall take reasonable steps to inform every person whose name is entered on the previous roll that a new roll is being prepared and that if he wishes to have his name entered on the new roll he must apply for enrolment. No such steps need be taken with respect to any person whose name could be removed from the previous roll under rule [F6 1(9)].]

(6) The new roll shall be prepared by entering upon it the names of persons entitled to entry under rule 1(2), and a fresh application shall be required from persons whose names were entered on the previous roll. A person whose name was so entered shall not be disqualified for entry on the new roll by reason only of his failure to comply with the conditions specified in rule [F7 1(2)(b) and (c)], if he was prevented from doing so by illness or other sufficient cause, and the circumstances shall be stated on the application form. The preparation of the new roll shall be completed not less than fifteen days or more than twenty-eight days before the annual parochial church meeting.

(7) After the completion of the new roll, a copy shall be published by being exhibited continuously for not less than fourteen days before the annual parochial church meeting on or near the principal door of the parish church in such manner as the council shall appoint. F8 . . . [F9 During the period while the copy is so exhibited any errors and omissions in the roll may be corrected but subject thereto and to the provisions of rule 1(2) no names may be added to or removed from the roll during the period in any year between the completion of the new roll and the close of the annual parochial church meeting.]On the publication of the new roll [F10 it shall come into effect and] the previous roll shall cease to have effect

(8) Upon the alteration of the boundaries of any parishes the parochial church council of the parish from which any area is transferred shall enquire from the persons resident in that area whose names are entered on the roll of the parish, whether they wish to have their names transferred to the roll of the other parish. The parochial church council shall remove the names of persons answering in the affirmative from its own roll and shall inform the parochial church council of the parish in which such persons now reside, which shall enter the names on its roll without any application for enrolment being required.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 3 rule 2 para. (3) omitted (1.1.1995) by virtue of S.I. 1994/3118, para. 5.

F2 Words in Sch. 3 rule 2 para. (3) inserted (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3118, para. 5.

F3 Word in Sch. 3 rule 2(4) substituted (1.1.2005) by The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 2004 (S.I. 2004/1889), paras. 1(a), 19(3)(b)

F4 Para. inserted by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 2(1)

F5 Rule 2(5) substituted by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 2(2)

F6 Words in Sch. 3 rule 2 para. (5) amended (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3118, para. 63, Sch.

F7 Words in Sch. 3 rule 2 para. (6) amended (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3118, para. 63, Sch.

F8 Words in Sch. 3 rule 2 para. (7) omitted (1.1.1995) by virtue of S.I. 1994/3118, para. 6.

F9 Words in Sch. 3 rule 2 para. (7) inserted (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3118, para. 6.

F10 Words in Sch. 3 rule 2(7) inserted (1.1.2005) by The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 2004 (S.I. 2004/1889), paras. 1(b), 19(3)(b)