PCC Officers

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PCC Trusteeship
Archdeacons
Finance help

PCC Secretaries

Being a PCC Secretary is not just about writing minutes and circulating agendas although these things are necessary. It is about using your gifts for administration to make sure that the Church is supported as it goes about its mission and service.

Thanks to the work of the PCC Secretary the other members of the PCC can be well prepared for meetings so that time is not wasted in matters of routine, decisions are made clear so that the right actions are undertaken, correspondence is dealt with graciously and, during a vacancy, the processes for appointing a new minister run smoothly.

The PCC secretary is normally elected by the PCC from among its members. However, a person can be appointed if they are not a member of the PCC and such a person may be co-opted to the PCC.

The secretary’s key tasks are set out in the Church Representation Rules and include:

  • To liaise with the parish clergy to decide the agenda for parish meetings
  • Arranging room bookings for PCC meetings
  • Preparing and distributing agendas for PCC meetings
  • Taking minutes at PCC meetings and distributing them
  • Keeping a record of all decisions made at PCC meetings, with voting figures
  • To keep a copy of PCC meeting minutes available for public inspection
  • To organise and publicise the Annual Parochial Church meeting
  • To report to the APCM on the work of the PCC over the preceding year through the Annual Report produced in cooperation with the treasurer
  • To keep staff at Church House in Gloucester informed of any changes of parish officers and addresses
  • To handle correspondence for the parish

For more information please contact the relevant archdeacon for your area

​Annual Parochial Church Meeting Forms

All APCM forms required for electing PCC members and Churchwardens, and for revising an electoral roll can be found on the Parish Resources website: www.parishresources.org.uk/pccs/apcms/

The Electoral Roll Certificate for 2024 can be downloaded here. Electoral Roll Certificate – 2024. Please forward a copy to the Diocesan Office at Church House either by post or to ku.gr1731697274o.coi1731697274dsolg1731697274@snru1731697274terhs1731697274irap1731697274.

Parish Officer forms should be completed after your APCM and returned to the Office Manager at Church House by post or to ku.gr1731697274o.coi1731697274dsolg1731697274@snru1731697274terhs1731697274irap1731697274. For newly appointed officers please also send a complete Data Protection Form.

Return of Parish Officers – 2024

Data Protection Form – 2024 (required for Churchwardens, PCC Secretaries and PCC Treasurers)

PCC Treasurers

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The treasurer is an officer of the PCC, an official position serving the church by providing financial leadership at a strategic level. He/she is appointed by the PCC, with the support of the Vicar and Churchwardens. The treasurer usually serves on the Standing Committee, Finance Committee and as an ex-officio member of any committee with a high impact on finance.

The treasurer must act as the first and primary tier of financial checks and balances and is responsible for the proper disbursement of church funds – both restricted and unrestricted within policies established by the Charities Commission, the Church of England and the PCC.

Key Responsibilities

Keep accurate books and records for the PCC:

  • Show all money received and spent, with explanations
  • Include a record of assets and liabilities
  • Enable the financial position to be shown at any time
  • Enable statutory accounts to be prepared
  • To keep books and records for 6 years plus the current year

Typical books and records will include:

  • An analysed cashbook (DBF can provide an Excel version)
  • Cheque stubs
  • Paying in books
  • Bank statements
  • Weekly/daily parish collection summaries
  • Invoices and other documentation for payments
  • Correspondence file
  • Copies of historic statutory accounts

Preparing Accounts

Context;

Year-End process

  • Prepare accounts
  • Have independent examination done
  • Accounts to PCC for approval and signature
  • Independent examiner signs report
  • Display accounts for 7 days prior to APCM
  • Accounts received by APCM

The process of collecting annual returns (excluding Mission Statistics) was changed in 2012. All forms are now sent to the first named churchwarden, who then collates the information together to send on to the Area Dean.  They will then check this information and forward everything to the relevant Archdeacon.

The Finance Department holds annual Treasurer workshops and staff in the department are available all year round for advice and support.