The below table sets out the steps you’ll need to take to help you prepare for your Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). In accordance with the Church Representation Rules 2020, the latest date to hold your APCM and Annual Meeting of Parishioners (MoP) is 31 May.
Please note that whilst we encourage on-site APCMs and MoPs wherever possible, in accordance with the Bishop’s Instrument issued in July 2020, it is still permissible to conduct the meeting by online means where the PCC determines this to be appropriate. See guidance on running PCC meetings virtually.
An Excel document is available to help work out your parish timeline based on your own APCM date, just insert the date into the highlighted box and it will automatically calculate the relevant dates against the listed actions. You can also download the timeline in Word format, though please note this is without the calculator.
Download Excel form Download Word form
Before the Annual Parochial Church Meeting:
Time before the APCM |
Actions |
Forms |
|
Allow 3 months before APCM date |
Organise preparation of accounts and then the independent examiner or auditor review prior to this |
n/a |
|
PCC meeting prior to APCM (recommend to leave at least a month gap prior to the APCM date) |
Agree PCC annual report and audited financial statements Recommend appointment of independent examiner or auditor (for submission to APCM) |
n/a |
| 29-42 days (no fewer than 14 days before commencement of revision) | Exhibit notice of proposed revision of Electoral Roll for 14 days on or near the principal church door |
E1: Notice of electoral roll revision |
| 15-28 days before (not earlier or later) |
Revision of Electoral Roll takes place – during this period issue and process application forms for new additions and removal advices (as long as validated) or corrections. Once period complete, additional names may not be added until after the APCM |
E2: Application to join electoral roll Privacy notice to accompany application |
| At least 14 days before | Publish revised Electoral Roll for at least 14 days before the APCM | n/a |
| Must include at least 2 Sundays before day of meeting | Display notice of APCM |
M1: Notice of annual parochial church meeting |
| Must include at least 2 Sundays before day of meeting | Display notice of MoP |
C1: Notice of meeting for election of churchwardens |
| At least 7 days before | Publish signed financial statements | n/a |
| Prior to the MoP | Receive nominations for churchwarden |
C2: Churchwarden’s nomination form |
| Prior to the APCM (using nomination form) or verbally at meeting |
Receive nominations for elected PCC lay members. Nominees to complete a fit & proper person declaration (become a trustee on joining PCC) |
M3: Nomination for election of PCC member at APCM M5: Fit and proper person declaration |
| Prior to the APCM (using nomination form) or verbally at meeting | Receive nominations for Deanery Synod members (elected every 3 years from 2020) |
D2: Nomination of lay member of Deanery Synod |
| Not later than 31 May | Annual Parochial Church Meeting & Meeting of Parishioners | n/a |
After the Annual Parochial Church Meeting:
Time after the APCM |
Actions |
Forms |
| As soon as practicable after the meetings and display all election results for at least 14 days after APCM and MoP |
Display results of churchwardens’ elections for 14 days (Note: Churchwardens, on election and admission to office, must complete a declaration form to be sent to the relevant archdeacon's office for them to be legally sworn in. This will automatically be sent in the visitation packs, issued by each archdeacon's office. See the churchwardens page for further information on the steps involved) Display notice of PCC lay member election results for 14 days Display notice of deanery synod representative election results for 14 days Advise your deanery synod secretary of the elected deanery synod representatives |
Annual Declaration Form M6: PCC Lay member & Deanery Synod election results Form (for parish display only) |
| Within 28 days of APCM |
Copies of annual report and accounts to be sent to Diocesan Secretary via the finance office email One-page financial return to be entered online. Please contact the Finance Office for details of how to do this or refer to the parish returns page |
n/a |
| By 1 July |
Confirm the electoral roll number to the diocese and deanery: For the diocese: Enter your ER figure online. See ER page for guidance on how to enter your ER figure, if you are unsure how to navigate the online parish returns system (it's quick once on the correct page). Please note the diocese does NOT need this form to be sent or emailed to us if you have entered this information online. Only if you cannot do this, email a scanned copy of the certificate or number to dero@oxford.anglican.org. Please do STILL email your ER number to your deanery |
E3: Electoral roll certificate |
| By 31 July |
Respond to the ‘Post APCM Parish Audit 2023’ email from the Diocese (sent to PCC Secretaries on 10th June 2023) to check / update parish officer contact details for your parish. Guidelines on how to carry out the audit are at https://www.oxford.anglican.org/contact-us/cms-audit-instructions/. To advise us of changes to parish officers at any other time, or if you cannot locate the email, please complete the M4 form and email to sue.zajac@oxford.anglican.org |
n/a |
See APCM FAQs for further information
Any issues with the above process and submissions, please contact sue.zajac@oxford.anglican.org for further guidance.