As per the Church Representation Rules (CRR) Part 9, the Annual Parochial Church Meeting must be held in every parish in the period which begins with 1 January and ends with 31 May. The Diocesan Secretary requires each parish to submit their APCM results to Church House, Derby no later than 31 May.
This page is maintained by Amanda Shreeve
APCMs
Parishes are required to submit their APCM results to Church House, Derby no later than 31st May
APCM - Forms and Notices:
>> APCM01. Notice of APCM PDF or Word
>> APCM02. PCC Nomination form - PDF or Word
>> APCM03. Results (Return to Church House) PDF or Word
>> Electoral Roll - Forms and Notices
Church Warden documents are under review for 2026 - further information is to follow
You can see more about the Church Representation Rules (March 2022 edition) here.
Here are some FAQs regarding APCMs which we hope you will find useful.
Information correct as of January 2026
Download these FAQs here
Holding of APCMs:
Q. Is there a new deadline for when APCMs must have taken place by?
A. APCM/APMs need to take place by 31 May of the current year.
Q. Do we have to be quorum to hold an APCM?
A. There is no minimum quorum at an APM or APCM, therefore whoever turns up for the quorum.
Q. Who is allowed to vote at an APCM?
A. Every lay person whose name is entered on the Church Electoral Roll of the parish (and no other person) is entitled to vote at the election of parochial representatives of the laity.
Q. Is postal voting allowed at APCMs?
A. If your PCC passed a resolution to that effect at last year’s APCM, postal voting is allowed. If it did not, a resolution must be passed to that effect at this year’s APCM for future use but will not be allowed to use postal voting at this year’s APCM.
Q. As Electoral Roll Officer, am I allowed to contact those on the electoral roll via email if I have their email address (even if I haven’t had written consent/signed GDPR form to do so)?
A. Yes. If a person on the electoral roll has given you their e-mail address, you are allowed to use it to notify them of the APM and APCM because it is for the purposes of fulfilling your obligations under the Church Representation Rules.
Q. What qualifies someone to be added to the Electoral Roll?
A. See CRR Part 1 Rule 1.
Q. Our deanery synod members are due for election. Can people who have served for 6+ years be re-elected?
- From January 2020, CRR (M8(5)) means a local church meeting (Annual Meeting) can vote to temporarily bar someone from being re-elected to their Deanery Synod for the next term if they've served continuously for a set number of previous terms, preventing them from immediately returning, though they might be eligible later. It's a way to ensure new people get involved by limiting consecutive terms for parochial (local) representatives of the laity (non-clergy). The CRR is copied below for reference:
M8 (5) The annual meeting may by resolution decide that a person who serves as a parochial representative of the laity on the deanery synod for the whole or any part of each of a specified number of successive terms of office may not be nominated for election under Rule M6(1)(a) to serve as such for the whole or any part of the term of office immediately following the last of those terms.
Q. If a churchwarden resigns before their term of office concludes at the next APCM do they automatically lose their place on the PCC?
A. Under Church Representation Rule M17(1)(b) if a member resigns from office as churchwarden they no longer qualify to rule M15(1)(e) and therefore PCC membership ceases. They can’t fill the vacancy caused by their own resignation, as that’ll be reserved for the next churchwarden. However, they may be put forward for election as a member if there is a casual vacancy on the PCC (an election open to all on the roll would apply – See M18) or co-opted if there is room to do so (see M15 (10) for detail).
Q. Can I submit the annual accounts before they are approved by the APCM?
A. Yes. CofE are encouraging parishes to submit their accounts after approval by the PCC in order to provide an idea of annual statements. Approved accounts can be resubmitted as and when they become available. https://www.parishresources.org.uk/resources-for-treasurers/
Incumbents, treasurers and wardens in each parish will have access to the Parish Returns site within the C of E Portal and need to enter financial information for previous financial year. A copy of the accounts should have been sent to the Parish Support Finance team by 30 June of the current year. Please contact Finance Team (finance@derby.anglican.org) and submit your accounts as soon as possible.
Q. When do reports presented at the APCM, such as the Deanery report, have to run from?
A. Reports relate to the financial year (calendar year) of the accounts being scrutinised. Please refer to Church Representation Rule M5 for more information.
Q. Can we communicate all APCM matters via email?
A. If a person has provided an email address, you may communicate by email in line with rule 76.
Communicating by email or post
76 (1) If a person has provided an email address –
(a) any communication required or authorised to be given to that person by or under these Rules may be sent to that email address, and
(b) any disclosure of the person’s name and address required or authorised by or under these Rules must include that email address.
(2) A communication sent by email is to be treated as being in writing if it is received in a form which is legible and capable of being used for subsequent reference.
(3) Where a communication is sent to a person by email at the most recent address provided by that person, it is to be treated as having been given to the person at the time at which it is sent.
(4) Where a communication is sent to a person by post and addressed to that person at his or her last known address, it is to be treated as having been given to the person by the time at which it would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.
