Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007

7 Making of reorganisation scheme

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, if the diocesan synod of every diocese affected by a draft scheme prepared under section 6 above gives its consent under subsection (6) thereof, the Commission shall lay the draft scheme before the General Synod for its approval.

(2) If the diocesan synod of any of those dioceses does not give its consent under section 6(6) above and the archbishop of the province in which the diocese is situated is satisfied that—

(a) the interest of that diocese in the scheme is so small that the withholding of consent by the diocesan synod thereof should not prevent the submission of the draft scheme to the General Synod, or

(b) there are wider considerations affecting the province or the Church of England as a whole which require the draft scheme to be submitted to the General Synod,

the archbishop may authorise the Commission to lay the draft scheme before the General Synod.

(3) A copy of the draft scheme and of the report referred to in section 6(7) of this Measure and, where subsection (2) above applies, of a statement by the archbishop of the reasons for his decision shall be sent to every member of the General Synod at least fourteen days before the beginning of the group of sessions at which the draft scheme is considered.

(4) If the General Synod approves such a scheme a copy of the draft scheme shall be signed in accordance with subsection (8) below and the Commission shall thereby make the scheme.

(5) Except where subsection (2) above applies, where the Business Committee of the General Synod determines that the draft scheme does not need to be debated by the General Synod then, unless notice is given by a member of the General Synod in accordance with its Standing Orders that that member wishes the draft scheme to be debated, the draft scheme shall, for the purposes of subsection (4) above, be deemed to have been approved by the General Synod.

(6) If, in accordance with its Standing Orders, a motion is carried in the General Synod that any matter contained in the draft scheme and specified in the motion should be reconsidered by the Commission the Commission shall withdraw the draft scheme, in which case the Commission may decide either not to proceed with the draft scheme or to re-submit the draft scheme to the General Synod, with or without amendment.

(7) If the Commission decides to re-submit the draft scheme under subsection (6) above with amendments, section 6(3) to (8) and subsections (1) to (6) above shall apply in relation to the amended draft scheme.

(8) A copy of the draft scheme shall be signed by the chair of the Commission on its behalf or, in the case of the absence or incapacity of the chair, by two other members of the Commission nominated by the Commission for that purpose and the signing of the copy of the draft scheme by the chair or by two members nominated as aforesaid shall be conclusive evidence that the provisions of this Measure relating to the draft scheme have been complied with.