Virtual PCC Meetings and Updated Church Representation Rules

The Bishop has made an order bringing the Church Representation and Ministers Measure (Isle of Man) 2020 into operation on 1 May 2020. The main effect of the order is to bring the new Church Representation Rules into force on that date.

• a note (CRR Changes) explaining the changes effected by the new Rules, some of which are of considerable practical importance
•  the new Rules (Church Representation Rules), as they have effect in the Isle of Man

The Church of England's legal team have today issued the guidance below, that it is now permissible to hold PCCs via Zoom to help with continuity of key decisions and discussions. 

Parochial church councils can, if they wish, meet using virtual means such as Skype or Zoom which enable the members to see and hear each other.

However, care must be taken so that members of a PCC who are unable to participate in a meeting in that way are not excluded from the PCC’s deliberations and decision making. The Chair should take steps to ensure that they are able to participate so far as possible, including where necessary by means of the procedure for conducting business by correspondence set out in rule M29 of the Church Representation Rules.

Following a virtual meeting, decisions such as the authorising of expenditure, entering into contracts or those that require a formal resolution of the PCC should be put in written form and circulated for formal approval under the correspondence procedure in rule M29 (which under Rule 76 can be conducted by email).

NB – This comes into effect from 1 May 2020