Parish Meetings

Coronavirus & Parish Meetings

I'm not going to pretend that this is exhaustive, but there are a couple of interesting articles going around about parish meetings, particularly PCC meetings, APCMs, and the election of Churchwarden's etc. We must just ask Jane!

This is from the excellent Law & Religion blog:

"Coronavirus – election of PCC and churchwardens" inLaw & Religion UK, 21 March 2020,https://www.lawandreligionuk.com/2020/03/21/coronavirus-election-of-pcc-and-churchwardens/

Which was followed by a useful clarification:

David Lamming, “‘Virtual’ PCC meetings and other Coronavirus-related issues” in Law & Religion UK, 22 March 2020,https://www.lawandreligionuk.com/2020/03/22/virtual-pcc-meetings-and-other-coronavirus-related-issues/

It's quite full on, but the general thrust is that Church House seem to have sent around a template to Diocesan Registries about delaying elections and APCMs until the end of October. This has been formally enacted in the Diocese of Oxford, but not in others (yet!).

The below is from parish resources.

APCMs In the light of the Prime Minister’s announcement about the need for social distancing measures to be put in place, it seem unlikely that parishes will be able to hold their annual meetings (including elections) in the usual way.  Please look out for information from your diocese on any special provisions made by the bishop about these meetings and elections.

PCCs – Guidance for holding remote meetings

The Charity Commission brought out guidance at the end of last week which provides that, even where there is no provision to enable them to do so in their governing documents, trustees should hold remote trustee meetings in the present situation and they should document their decision to do so to demonstrate good governance of their charity. The Church Representation Rules do not make any provision for a PCC meeting to be held remotely. However, there is provision for business to be done by the PCC trustees by correspondence.

• PCC meetings (trustee meetings not APCMs) can be held remotely during this period when face to face meetings are not permitted and PCCs should document the decision to do this, in line with the Charity Commission’s guidance.

• Following a remote PCC trustee meeting, any business agreed or resolutions passed should be circulated to all PCC members under Rule M29 of the Church Representation Rules so that the business agreed remotely can be formally approved under the Church Representation Rules using the business by correspondence provision M29.