The PCC and its role holders

Every parish arrangement has a Parochial Church Council (PCC). This is an elected group of people who represent the church in that place, and are its main decision makers.

A PCC's members are clergy, churchwardens and others elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) of the parish. Its powers and duties are defined by legislation and can principally be found in the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956.

This section will help you find useful resources, links and support if you sit on your church's PCC, but this is a brief outline of a PCC's role and responsibilities:-

It has the responsibility, along with the incumbent, to promote the mission of God in its parish.
Legally, the PCC is responsible for the finances of the parish. It also has ultimate responsibility for the care and maintenance of all church buildings and their contents. Although these responsibilities are executed by the churchwardens, all PCC members must share in the oversight. It has a voice in the forms of Service used by the church and may make representations to the bishop on matters that affect the welfare of the parish.
All PCCs are charities, most do not the need to register with the Charity Commission, except those with an annual income of more than £100,000. Therefore, every member of a PCC is also a charity trustee. If a PCC is a charity, it must comply with the Charity Commission guidance and legislation in relation to charities.
The incumbent’s role is to provide leadership concerning safeguarding, and to encourage everyone to promote a safer church.

The Finance and Safeguarding pages will be helpful for PCC Secretaries and other members.

PCC members may be interested to read more about the Authorised Local Leadership model of ministry that we are promoting within the Diocese.

An Authorised Local Leader is a key contact person, who can appropriately action or delegate action when information from the Diocese and also from the local neighbourhood community is communicated to them.

The Local Leader will also have a significant role in ensuring that the Leadership Team (with the incumbent the Church Wardens, the PCC and other lay and ordained ministers) develop the gifts of the whole congregation, and help the church grow in its mission and ministry in that location. They will be a visible presence of the gospel and act as a ‘bridge’ between the church and the local community. At times they will be a conduit to the local clergy. They will be authorised by the bishop for three years, supported by the diocese and rooted in the local community.