Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007

56 Functions of Council in relation to churches proposed for closure for regular public worship

(1) The Council shall be under a duty—

(a) to prepare the reports referred to in section 3(8) of the 1983 Measure and send copies of the reports to the bodies referred to therein;

(b) in response to consultation by or requests for advice from the Commissioners under section 5(2), 44(5)(bb), 44(5A)(a), 44(9B)(b), 46(1), 47(2)(a), 49(1), 50(2), 50(4A) or 51(1)(b) of the 1983 Measure or otherwise to give information and advice to the Commissioners about—

(i) the historic and archaeological interest and architectural quality of any church to which this section applies;

(ii) the historic and architectural interest and aesthetic qualities of the contents of any such church;

(iii) the value of any such church as part of its setting and surrounding landscape;

(iv) the overall importance of the church; and

(v) having regard to the matters referred to in sub-paragraphs (i) to (iv) above, the potential impact of any architectural or structural changes or other physical alterations to the church;

(c) in response to consultation by or requests for advice from the Churches Conservation Trust under section 44(5)(bbb) or (7B) of the 1983 Measure to give information and advice to the Trust about any of the matters referred to in paragraph (b) above;

(d) to consider and, to the extent that the Council considers appropriate, make representations on any draft pastoral church buildings scheme or pastoral (church buildings disposal) scheme of which a copy is sent to it under section 6(3) or 50(3) of the 1983 Measure; and

(e) when requested to do so by the Archbishops' Council, the Commissioners or the General Synod, to give information and advice on any of the matters referred to in paragraph (b) above in relation, generally, to churches to which this section applies or in relation to particular categories of such churches.

(2) The Council shall have power, when requested to do so, to give information and advice to any diocesan body or other body or person on any of the matters referred to in subsection (1)(b) above in relation to a church or group of churches to which this section applies:

Provided that—

(i) the Council shall not give any such information or advice to a person or body other than a diocesan body in a case where the Commissioners have informed it that they have received proposals from the bishop under section 4(1) of the 1983 Measure unless it has first consulted the Commissioners and had regard to any views expressed by them and in this subsection “diocesan body” means any body corporate or unincorporate or committee established for a diocese or dioceses or part thereof; and

(ii) the Commissioners and the Council may, by agreement in writing, exclude from the operation of proviso (i) above any information or advice relating to any such categories of matters as may be specified in the agreement.

(3) This section applies to a church or part of a church as respects which the question arises whether it ought to be closed for regular public worship or as respects which questions arise as to its use, demolition, or preservation on or in the event of its being closed for regular public worship or as respects which questions arise as to a proposed acquisition of a building closed for regular public worship under section 44(5A) of the 1983 Measure and references in this section to a church include part of a church and include references to its curtilage and to any churchyard or burial ground annexed thereto.