As per the Church Representation Rules 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.
About Us - Governance
About the Vacancy In See Committee
This is a statutory committee, serving for a three-year term, who only meet when there is a Vacancy in See.
Meaning, in the case of the Diocese of Derby, if the post of the Bishop of Derby were to become vacant, then the Vacancy in See committee would meet.
- Members don’t need to be on any other committee, synod or be a PCC member.
- Members do need to be on an electoral roll or be a clerk in holy orders within the Diocese*
Should a Vacancy in See arise, Members would then meet to identify the needs of the Diocese and work with the Crown Nominations Commission of the General Synod, to identify the next Diocesan Bishop.
This process is governed by The Vacancy in See Committees Regulation 2024. The General Synod makes the Regulation, which is a Consolidation Instrument within the meaning of Standing Order 71(9) of the General Synod.
*Eligibility Criteria (in full…)
Any cleric beneficed in the Diocese or licensed under seal by the Bishop of Derby is eligible for election by members of the House of Clergy of the Diocesan Synod, except that no archdeacon and no person in Episcopal orders is eligible to be elected in this election. (The election involves the whole House of Clergy of the Diocesan Synod. This means that a person from one Area/archdeaconry can be proposed, seconded and be voted for by persons from another).
Any lay person who is an actual communicant, as defined in Church Representation Rule 83(2), and whose name is entered on the electoral roll of a parish in the Diocese is eligible for election by the House of Laity of the Diocesan Synod. (The election involves the whole House of Laity. This means that a person from one Area/archdeaconry can be proposed, seconded and voted for by persons from another).
More information
For more information, please contact the Presiding Officer - presidingofficer@derby.anglican.org.
Resources
>> Diocesan Synod Members for Triennium 2024 - 2027 [PDF]
New Electoral Roll required for every parish in 2025
In 2025, an entirely new church electoral roll must be prepared in advance of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in every parish in the Church of England, under the Church Representation Rules (CRR).
So, even if someone has had their name entered on the existing electoral roll, they must complete a fresh application form to be included on the new one.
The PCC must take reasonable steps to inform all those whose names are entered on the existing roll that a new roll is being prepared, and that they must make a fresh application if they wish their name to appear on the new roll.
In brief:
- Preparation of a new roll must be done every six years (last completed 2019)
- Notice displayed near the main door of every church in every parish, at least two months before the APCM
- Notice must stay up for at least 14 days
- Announcements made in church during the 14 days that the notice is up to say that the roll is being prepared
- PCC must ensure that reasonable efforts are made to let everyone on the old roll know that a new Roll is being prepared
- Exception is anyone no longer qualified to be on the roll (e.g. someone who no longer worships regularly in the parish and lives outside the parish)
- Members of the previous roll need to fill in applications (no one is automatically included)
- New people may also apply by filling in an application for enrolment
- New roll must be complete on a fixed date between 15 and 28 days before the APCM
- Completed new roll is posted near the main church door at least 14 days before the APCM. During this time corrections may be made (e.g. correcting a misspelling) but no new names added or removed.
The full guidance on preparing the new Electoral Roll can be downloaded here: PDF | Word
Downloads
Forms, notices and guidance notes
- Preparation of Electoral Roll Notice PDF | Word
- Application to be added to the Electoral Roll PDF | Word
- Electoral Roll GDPR: Parish Guidance PDF | Word
- Electoral Roll Privacy Notice PDF | Word
- Notice of APCM PDF | Word
- Nomination form for PCC PDF | Word
- APCM results (To return to Derby Church House) PDF | Word
- Electoral Roll Certificate (To return to Derby Church House) PDF | Word
Here are some FAQs regarding APCMs which we hope you will find useful.
Information correct on 31 October 2024
Holding of APCMs:
APCM - Forms and Notices:
>> Notice of APCM - PDF or Word
>> Nomination for PCC - PDF or Word
>> APCM results to return to Derby Church House - PDF or Word
>> Diocese of Derby Data Form - Webpage
Electoral Roll - Forms and Notices:
>> Preparation of Electoral Roll - PDF or Word
>> Application for enrolment on Electoral Roll - PDF or Word
>> Electoral Roll privacy notice - PDF
>> Parish Guidance: The Electoral Roll and GDPR - PDF
>> Electoral Roll certificate for return to Derby Church House -PDF or Word
Church Warden documents are under review for 2025 - further information is to follow
>> Notice of meeting for the election of churchwardens - PDF or Word
>> Nomination for churchwarden - PDF or Word
>> Forms that need to be completed following the election of a churchwarden can be found here.
>> Church Warden visitation information can be found here.
You can see more about the Representation Rules (March 2022 edition) here.
Church Warden visitation information can be found here.
The term of office of the current Diocesan Synod ends on 31 July 2015. Therefore Derby Diocese must elect a new Diocesan Synod from its clergy and church members. The electors are members (other than currently co-opted members) of the House of Clergy and the House of Laity of the Deanery Synods of the Diocese. The rules state that the electors are defined at 6.00am on the date on which the nominations papers are issued locally by the Deanery.
Elections to the new Diocesan Synod will be carried out during the period May to July 2015 to a timetable fixed by the Bishop in accordance with Church Representation Rule 32(1). The new Diocesan Synod will take office on 1 August 2015 and the first meeting of the new Diocesan Synod will be on 17 October 2015.
The Bishop, in accordance with Rule 32(2) has appointed the Rural Deans to be the Presiding Officers for elections by the House of Laity of Deanery Synods and the Lay Chairs to be the Presiding Officers for elections by the House of Clergy of Deanery Synods.
Nominations
A Notice of Election must be sent to every qualified elector, together with a nomination form. Every candidate may be nominated and seconded by qualified electors and every candidate must express with their signature, their willingness to serve, if elected. Opportunity is provided for a candidate, if he or she so desires, to set out in 100 words or fewer, a factual statement, such as professional qualifications, present office of relevant experience, for circulation with the voting papers.
Nomination Forms will be posted to all electors on 14 May 2015. Nomination Forms will be sent by post on the same day in order that every elector is treated equally.
Valid paper copies of Nomination Forms must be returned by mid-day on 5 June which is the closing date for nominations.
If nominations are received, which are equal to or less than the number to be elected, then these persons will be elected and notified accordingly. If there are less than the number of people to be elected then the remaining places are treated as casual vacancies and are then filled by the House of Clergy or the House of Laity by a method to be decided by them in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. This process is the responsibility of the Chair of the appropriate House.
Voting Papers
If there are more nominations than there are places to fill, then an election will be organised. A voting paper must be circulated to every qualifying elector by post no later than 12 June 2015 and these have to be returned by mid-day on 3 July. The completed voting paper must be signed by the elector, together with their full name written on the reverse of the form in order to be valid. Candidates will be notified of the result. In the event of equality of votes, the decision shall be taken by lot by the Presiding Officer.
TIMELINE
14 May 2015 Each Deanery issues Notice of Election and Nomination Papers
5 June 2015 Closing date for nominations
19 June 2015 Deanery issues voting papers (if elections are required)
3 July 2015 Closing date for voting
10 July 2015 Deanery presiding officers inform Diocesan Secretary, Deanery Synod Secretaries and candidates of election results and of Diocesan Synod Members
15 July 2015 Diocesan Synod Elections must be complete
1 August 2015 Members of the new Diocesan Synod hold office from this date
17 October 2015 First meeting of the new Diocesan Synod
NUMBERS TO BE ELECTED
DEANERY Clergy Laity
Alfreton 3 3
Bakewell and Eyam 4 5
Bolsover & Staveley 3 4
Buxton 3 2
Chesterfield 8 8
Glossop 2 3
Wirksworth 2 3
Ashbourne 2 3
Derby North 6 4
Derby South 5 4
Duffield 3 5
Heanor 2 2
Erewash 5 6
Longford 2 2
Melbourne 3 3
Repton 3 4
Diocesan Synod
The statutory governing body of the Diocese is the Diocesan Synod which is elected with representation across the Diocese with broadly equal numbers of clergy and lay people meeting together in Diocesan Synod with the diocesan Synod with the diocesan bishop, the suffragan bishop and archdeacons.
Its role is to:
- consider matters affecting the Church of England in the Diocese;
- act as a forum for debate of Christian opinion on matters of religious or public interest;
- advise the Bishop where requested;
- deal with matters referred by General Synod; and
- provide for the financing of the Diocese.
Deanery Synod
Deanery Synods have two houses, laity and clergy, and their role is to:
- respond to requests from General Synod;
- give effect to the decisions made by the Diocesan Synod;
- consider matters affecting the Church of England by drawing together the views of the parishes within the deanery;
- act as a channel of communication to express the views of parishes to Diocesan Synod and thence to General Synod;
- raise with Diocesan Synod such matters as it considers appropriate; and
- elect members of the deanery to the Diocesan Synod and in respect of the House of Laity elect lay members of the Diocese to General Synod.
The Bishop's Council (and Standing Committee of the Diocesan Synod)
Under the construction of the Diocesan Synod, Bishop's Council has the following functions:
- to plan the business of the Synod, to prepare the agenda for its sessions and to circulate to members information about matters for discussion;
- to initiate proposals for action by the Synod and to advise it on matters on policy which are placed before it;
- to advise the President, being the Diocesan Bishop, on any matters which he may refer to the Committee;
- subject to the directions of the Synod, to transact the business of the Synod when the Synod is not in session;
- to appoint members of committees or nominate individuals for election to committees, subject to the directions of the synod; and
- to carry out such functions as the Synod may delegate to it.
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Got a question about APCMs? See our FAQs
>> 2025 Diocesan Meeting Schedule
Synodical procedure
Diocesan Synod
The statutory governing body of the Diocese is the Diocesan Synod which is elected with representation across the Diocese with broadly equal numbers of clergy and lay people meeting together in Diocesan Synod with the diocesan Synod with the diocesan bishop, the suffragan bishop and archdeacons.
Its role is to:
- consider matters affecting the Church of England in the Diocese;
- act as a forum for debate of Christian opinion on matters of religious or public interest;
- advise the Bishop where requested;
- deal with matters referred by General Synod; and
- provide for the financing of the Diocese.
Click here for more information, including Diocesan Synod members for the Triennium
Deanery Synod
Deanery Synods have two houses, laity and clergy, and their role is to:
- respond to requests from General Synod;
- give effect to the decisions made by the Diocesan Synod;
- consider matters affecting the Church of England by drawing together the views of the parishes within the deanery;
- act as a channel of communication to express the views of parishes to Diocesan Synod and thence to General Synod;
- raise with Diocesan Synod such matters as it considers appropriate; and
- elect members of the deanery to the Diocesan Synod and in respect of the House of Laity elect lay members of the Diocese to General Synod.
The Bishop's Council (and Standing Committee of the Diocesan Synod)
Under the construction of the Diocesan Synod, Bishop's Council has the following functions:
- to plan the business of the Synod, to prepare the agenda for its sessions and to circulate to members information about matters for discussion;
- to initiate proposals for action by the Synod and to advise it on matters on policy which are placed before it;
- to advise the President, being the Diocesan Bishop, on any matters which they may refer to the Committee;
- subject to the directions of the Synod, to transact the business of the Synod when the Synod is not in session;
- to appoint members of committees or nominate individuals for election to committees, subject to the directions of the synod; and
- to carry out such functions as the Synod may delegate to it.
