The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 1981

Joint parochial church councils

8.  For rule 17 there shall be substituted—

“Joint parochial church councils

17.— (1) Where there are two or more parishes within the area of a single benefice or two or more benefices are held in plurality, the annual meetings of all or some of the parishes in the benefice or benefices may make a joint scheme to provide—

(a) for establishing a joint parochial church council (hereinafter referred to as “the joint council”) comprising the ministers of the parishes and such numbers of representatives of each of those parishes elected by and from among the other members of the parochial church council of the parish as may be specified in the scheme;

(b) for the chairmanship, meetings and procedure of the joint council;

(c) for the delegation by the parochial church council of each such parish to the joint council of such of its functions, other than its functions as an interested party under Part I of the Pastoral Measure 1968, as may be so specified.

(2) Subject to the scheme and to any pastoral scheme or order made under paragraph 13 of Schedule 3 to the said Measure, the parochial church council of any such parish may delegate to the joint council such of its functions, other than its functions as an interested party under the said Part I, as it thinks fit.

(3) The joint council shall meet from time to time for the purpose of consulting together on matters of common concern.

(4) No scheme under this rule shall be valid unless approved by at least two-thirds of the persons present and voting at the annual meeting of each parish. Every such scheme shall, on its approval be communicated to the Secretary of the diocesan synod, who may if he considers it appropriate lay the scheme before the bishop's council and standing committee of that synod (hereinafter referred to as “the bishop's council”) which may determine that the scheme shall not come into operation.

(5) After receiving a scheme under this rule the Secretary of the diocesan synod shall serve a notice on the Secretary of the parochial church council of each parish concerned informing him, as the circumstances require, either that he does not propose to lay the scheme before the bishop's council or that he has laid the scheme before the bishop's council and of the determination made by that council.

(6) Subject to paragraph (8) of this rule a scheme under this rule shall come into operation immediately after the day on which the Secretary of the parochial church council of each parish concerned receives a notice under paragraph (5) of this rule informing him either that the scheme is not to be laid before the bishop's council or that the bishop's council has determined that the scheme shall come into operation.

(7) A special parochial church meeting of a parish to which this rule applies may be convened for the purpose of deciding whether to join in making such a scheme, and where such a meeting is convened the foregoing provisions shall have effect with the substitution for references to the annual meeting of references to the special meeting.

(8) Where a pastoral scheme or order, or any instrument of the bishop made by virtue of such a scheme or order, establishes a joint parochial church council for two or more of the parishes in a single benefice or two or more of the parishes in benefices held in plurality, no scheme under this rule relating to those parishes shall provide for the scheme to come into operation until on or after the date on which the provisions of the pastoral scheme, pastoral order or instrument, as the case may be, establishing the joint parochial church council cease to have effect.

(9) Where the provisions of a pastoral scheme or order for the holding of benefices in plurality are terminated under section 17(2) of the Pastoral Measure 1968, any provision of a scheme under this rule establishing a joint parochial church council for all or some of the parishes of those benefices and the other provisions thereof affecting that council shall cease to have effect on the date on which the first mentioned provisions cease to have effect.

(10) A scheme under this rule may be varied or revoked by a subsequent scheme thereunder to be”.