St.John's Church. Kenilworth
Home
News
Calendar
Services
Contacts
Mothers Union
About Us 
Mission/Links
Our History
PCC

 

 

This page is for members of St John's PCC

This page provides useful information intended primarily for PCC members although other users of this web site may find the information and links helpful. Please note that the posting of links is for general information only and should not be taken as implying any approval by or relationship with the owners of such sites and users make use of these links solely at their own risk. St. Johns accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising for users of this web site as a result of following such links.

Contents Parochial Church Council
Membership of the PCC
Governing Documents
Dates of PCC meetings
Policies
Minutes of Meetings
Annual Report
Reference books
Coventry Diocese
Coventry Cathedral Link
Links to the Church of England
Registration of the PCC as a Charity
Charities Act 2006
Governance
Stewardship Links
Environment
Health & Safety
Employment
Interregnum
Insurance
Fabric and Buildings
HM Revenue & Customs

Parochial Church Council (“PCC”)

The powers of a PCC are laid down in the Measures of the Church of England but in practical terms for St. John’s the main functions of the PCC are:

  • Acquire, manage and administer property for ecclesiastical purposes, including the church building, the halls and Knights’ Meadow minister’s accommodation, which includes maintenance and improvement works, and trees on church property
  • To set an annual budget of expenditure and to collect voluntary giving to support any church purpose, including powers to invest funds and run bank accounts etc. and to determine the terms on which St. John’s supports Christian charities and missions both in the UK and overseas.
  • To make representations to the Bishop about any matter affecting the welfare of the parish
  • Responsible for employment of persons engaged in the service of the parish, excluding clergy paid for by the Diocese
  • The PCC has an important voice in any decisions as to the forms of authorised services and other matters related to church services
  • Responsible for providing certain of the requisites for divine service as specified in canons F1 to F14
  • The PCC has certain rights and duties during a vacancy as laid down in the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986
  • Responsible for complying with the regulations of the Church of England as they apply and as Trustees under Charity Law.

God gives to all of us the responsibilities of stewardship for that which he has entrusted to us. This is true individually, and also collectively. As a local church community, and as a PCC, we are stewards both of the mission of St. John’s church, and of the resources available to the church.

The PCC member’s duty is to prayerfully consider whether any of the things St. John’s is doing could be improved, to consider new ideas and challenges for the parish, its particular needs, expectations, and membership. PCC members are called to a high degree of commitment, a willingness to learn about the work, it involves trying to work out what God wants for his church and above all involves acting and speaking in a Christian way and particularly at PCC meetings. PCC members speak for themselves searching their own conscience about what is right and may not take direction as to how they vote at PCC meetings from anyone else in the church.

The responsibility of the PCC member is to apply those skills, knowledge and experience gained throughout their lives acting with reasonable care and skill and where they lack the relevant expertise to make due enquiry, and where necessary to seek professional advice.

The PCC uses the priorities set by the Bishop of Coventry and Warwick to guide their own priorities. These relate to the core mission of the church:

1. Worship God
2. Making new Christians and disciples
3. Working with others to transform communities


Back to Index

Membership of the PCC

Membership is open to church members who qualify under all of the points listed below:

• At least 16 years old, and
• Name entered on the Electoral Roll and if 18 years or older for a minimum period of 6 months, and
• An acting communicant member

Nominations for election to the PCC are made by any two members of the Electoral Roll at annual church meetings as described below.

Members of the PCC are:

The Incumbent: Chairman
Churchwardens: Deputy Chairmen and Chairman in case of an interregnum (elected at the Annual Meeting of Parishioners by those residing in the Parish and Electoral Roll members)
Two Diocesan Synod Members: ex-officio (elected by Deaneries and whose number per Deanery is in proportion to their respective Electoral Roll membership)
Four Deanery Synod Members: ex-officio (elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting by Electoral Roll members of whom three were elected from the Warwick Road congregation and one from the Knights’ Meadow congregation)
Twelve PCC members from the Warwick Road congregation (elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting by Electoral Roll members)
Three PCC members from the Knights’ Meadow congregation (elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting by Electoral Roll members)

Churchwardens serve annually, and Deanery Synod and PCC elected members for three years, unless elected to fill a vacancy of a shorter period.


Back to Index

Governing Documents
  • The Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 as amended
  • The Church Representation Rules (contained in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Measure 1969 as amended)
  • For those who would like to find out more about the governing documents please see: www.parishresources.org.uk/charity/gds.htm and follow the links indicated there.


Back to Index

PCC Meetings

Dates of forthcoming PCC meetings:

17th July 2008
18th September 2008
30th October 2008
4th December 2008
15th January 2009,
19th February, 2009
2nd April, 2009
7th May, 2009
11th June, 2009
16th July, 2009


Items for PCC meetings should be proposed to the Churchwardens and items for Any Other Business should be notified to the Chairman of the meeting at least 48 hours before the start of the meeting.


Back to Index

Policies

The PCC has created and maintains policies in relation:

• Health & Safety
• Child Protection (including checks with the Criminal Records Bureau)
• Employment & Volunteer Policy
• Hall Hiring and Use of Buildings
• No smoking
• [Protection of the Vulnerable]
• [Conflicts of Interest]
• [Use of Reserves]
• [Maintenance of buildings]

Copies of the policies are available for PCC members from the PCC Secretary.
[ ] denotes policies on which work is progressing



Back to Index

Minutes of Meeting

Minutes are produced by the PCC Secretary for all meetings of the PCC. A Summary is displayed in the church building as soon after the meeting as practicable, and any Electoral Roll member has the right of access to the minutes except for minutes deemed by the PCC to be confidential.


Back to Index

Annual Report

Each year the PCC produces an Annual Report presented at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting and available to all members of the church and other interested parties.

This describes the officers and staff of the church, the church’s activities over the past year, its financial report and contains reports from most of the groups operating within the church and describes hopes, priorities and plans for the future.

Copies are available, preferably in electronic form, from the PCC Secretary. Please apply to the Parish Office


Back to Index

Reference Books

Useful reference books

  1. Parish Resources (part of the Church of England) have produced an 8 page leaflet to introduce PCC members to their roles and responsibilities as Charity Trustees: www.parishresources.org.uk/charity/Trusteeship%20leaflet%208pp.pdf
  2. “An ABC for the PCC: a handbook for Church Council members” (latest edition 2003) ISBN 0-8264-6599-4
  3. Serving the Parish: how to be an effective PCC member Martin Dudley and Virginia Rounding SPCK ISBN 0-281-05718-4
  4. A Handbook for Churchwardens and PC Councillors ISBN 0-8264-8153-1
  5. Churchwardens: A survival guide Martin Dudley and Virginia Rounding SPCK (2003) ISBN 0-281-05073-2
  6. “The Parish survival guide” by Martin Dudley and Virginia Rounding ISBN 0-281-05665-X published by SPCK in 2004 primarily for clergy but still useful for PCC
  7. “So the vicar’s leaving: a good interregnum guide” by Mike Alexander and Jeremy Martineau pub Canterbury Press ISBN 1-85311-505-3
  8. The Essential Trustee: what every trustee needs to know”. This is regularly updated so PCC Members may want to check the link www.charitycommission.gov.uk/publications/cc3.asp
  9. Coventry Diocesan Directory” produced each year and available from the Cathedral & Diocesan Offices, 1 Hill Top, Coventry, CV1 5AB telephone 024 7652 1200. The 2008 version cost £5.50. The Directory lists the contacts for the Bishops, Church House, the Cathedral, the Deaneries, and Deanery and Parish statistics, a list of parishes, clergy and laity, the honours, General Synod and Diocesan Synod, Bishop’s Council and Committees and has chapters also on ministry, schools, chaplaincies, fixed dates and organisations.
  10. Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England published by Church House Publishing www.chpublishing.co.uk see also the Church of England web site at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship.


Back to Index

Coventry Diocese

Coventry Diocese www.coventry.anglican.org

Several sub-sections of the site are accessible from the top site

Development & evangelism www.coventry.anglican.org/developmentevangelism

Finance of the Diocese: Report of Coventry Diocesan Board of Finance 2006
www.coventry.anglican.org/diocesanadmin/finance/resources/opt/-/item/118

Stewardship www.coventry.anglican.org/developmentevangelism/stewardship

Coventry Diocese Mothers’ Union www.mothersunion-cov.org.uk/welcome.htm


Back to Index

Coventry Cathedral Link

www.coventrycathedral.org.uk

Links to the Church of England

Church of England web site www.cofe.anglican.org This is a very detailed site containing much information for both PCC and church members alike.

Some of the areas that may be of particular interest are:

Ministry www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/ministry

Communion by extension: www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/other/extension/extensionfront.html

Facts and figures www.cofe.anglican.org/about/thechurchofenglandtoday

Funding the church www.cofe.anglican.org/info/funding/index.html


Training on teaching Christian giving www.cofe.anglican.org/info/trgmods/


Back to Index

Registration of the PCC as a charity

The Charities Act 2006 removed the presumption, contained in previous legislation, that advancing faith was charitable and St. John’s PCC, together with all churches with incoming resources exceeding £100,000 per annum, will be required to register as a charity with the Charity Commission, and to demonstrate that the PCC serves the public benefit. This requirement will be triggered when the relevant part of the Act has been implemented. See below for links to Government sites explaining the implementation of the whole Act.

In St. Johns the Churchwardens are responsible for the registration application and each Trustee / PCC Member will need to complete a Trustee Declaration.

The Parish Resources web site offers a wide range of resources to support all aspects of stewardship in the local church: www.parishresources.org.uk

The section of web site limited to pilot Dioceses which are Coventry and Sheffield for initial registration of PCCs as charities - http://www.parishresources.org.uk/pilots.htm

The Charity Commission link is www.charitycommission.gov.uk/registration/default.asp but PCC members should refer in the first instance to the Church of England advice where there is specific guidance for churches.


Back to Index

Charities Act 2006

The Charity Commission for England and Wales http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/ is established by law as the regulator and registrar of charities in England and Wales. Its aim is to provide the best possible regulation of charities in order to increase charities’ efficiency and effectiveness and public confidence and trust in them. The publication The Charity Commission and Regulation describes in more detail the values and how it operates as a regulator.

The Charity Commission produces very helpful guidance for Trustees and a good starting point is their publication “The Essential Trustee: what every trustee needs to know”. This is regularly updated so PCC Members may want to check the link www.charitycommission.gov.uk/publications/cc3.asp

The link to the Charities Act 2006 on the Charity Commission web site is www.charitycommission.gov.uk/spr/charbill.asp

The web site for the HM Government Cabinet Office of the Third Sector is www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector and the section dealing with the Charities Act 2006 is at: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/law_and_regulation/charities_act_2006/

“Charities Act 2006: What trustees need to know” There is a document version and an interactive version available by following the above link.


Back to Index

Governance

Charity Commission: www.charitycommission.gov.uk/enhancingcharities/governancecode.asp

National Council of Voluntary Organisations: NCVO http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk

Good Governance: A Code for the Voluntary and Community Sector
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/publications/publication.asp?id=3837&terms=good.governance

Capacity Builders capacitybuilders.org.uk


Back to Index

Stewardship Links

The Parish Resources web site offers a wide range of resources to support all aspects of stewardship in the local church: www.parishresources.org.uk

Environment

Shrinking the footprint from the Church of England National Environment Campaign
www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org


Back to Index

Health & Safety

Advice from Ecclesiastical Insurance (and see also “Related documents”)
www.ecclesiastical.com/ourproducts/insurance/churchinsurance/church_health_and_safety/index.aspx

This link provides health & safety policy advice for the PCC:
www.ecclesiastical.com/uploads/PDF%20-%20church%20insurance%20health%20and%20safety%20policy_tcm9-2399.pdf


Back to Index

Employment

Advice is available to the PCC from the Diocese and:

NCVO: The Good Guide to Employment
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/publications/publication.asp?id=1474

UK Government employment advice www.berr.gov.uk/employment/index.html

ACAS best practice advice: www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1360

Minimum Wage
www.berr.gov.uk/employment/pay/national-minimum-wage/index.html.

Business Link No nonsense guide to employing people www.businesslink.gov.uk/Employing_People_files/Employing_People.pdf

Business Link West Midlands (user ID required)
www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/BGAuthenticate?site=131


Back to Index

Interregnum: New Appointments

Church of England Good Practice in Clergy Appointments
www.cofe.anglican.org/info/caa/goodpractice

Guidelines for the professional conduct of clergy
www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/ministry/profcond.pdf

Book: “So the vicar’s leaving: a good interregnum guide” by Mike Alexander and Jeremy Martineau pub Canterbury Press ISBN 1-85311-505-3


Back to Index

Insurance

Church of England www.cofe.anglican.org/info/ecclesiasticalinsurance

Ecclesiastical Insurance www.ecclesiastical.com

Further advice available from the PCC’s Treasurer


Back to Index

Fabric and Buildings

Site containing a wealth of resources www.churchcare.co.uk

Disability Discrimination Act www.coventry.anglican.org/diocesanadmin/diocesanadvisorycommittee/advisory/opt/-/item/32

The Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches (DAC)
www.coventry.anglican.org/diocesanadmin/diocesanadvisorycommittee

Faculty Procedures in Coventry Diocese:
www.coventry.anglican.org/diocesanadmin/diocesanadvisorycommittee/facultyprocedures

For copy of St. John’s PCC Heath & Safety Risk Assessment and for further advice please refer to the Leader of the PCC’s Fabric Team.


Back to Index

H.M. Revenue and Customs

Help from HM Revenue & Customs www.hmrc.gov.uk/menus/charity.htm chapter and verse from the taxman on how Gift Aid works.

HMRC Gift Aid advice –transitional rules to 2011
www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/faq-transitional-relief.htm

Further advice available from the PCC’s Considered Giving Secretary


Back to Index

 

Problems with this web site? Mail Philip Spicer   
Coventry Diocese web site Church of England website Church of England web site Coventry Cathedral web site Coventry Diocese website