A letter was sent out to PCC Secretaries in January on the 2025 APCM process. The letter highlights important aspects of the annual APCM process. The main change for 2025 will be that a new electoral roll must be prepared (this occurs every six years) instead of the usual annual revision process. This means the electoral roll starts afresh and so everyone on the current roll needs to reapply if they wish to remain on the electoral roll. The impact of this on the PCC, in terms of preparation, is a longer notice period (at least 2 months before the APCM), as well as taking all reasonable steps to advise current electoral members of the need to reapply.
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.
An Excel spreadsheet is available to help you work out the dates you need to take certain actions using your own APCM date. You just need to download the document using the button below, click on edit mode and then insert your APCM date into the highlighted box and it will automatically calculate the relevant dates against the listed actions (the formula assumptions are shown and can be edited in the formula boxes, if you want amend for longer/shorter periods within the rules for each step). You can also download the timeline in Word format, though please note this is without the calculator function.
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 |
| At least 2 months before (for no fewer than 14 days) | Exhibit notice of new Electoral Roll on or near the principal church door |
Ea: Notice of new electoral roll (include link to, or copy of, your parish data privacy policy: see diocese's GDPR webpage for more info on content)
|
| Intervening period between Electoral Roll notice and completion date | Preparation of new Electoral Roll. During this period applications received to be entered onto roll. Duty of PCC to take reasonable steps to contact every person whose name was on the previous parish roll. |
E2: Application to join electoral roll (includes how data collected is used) |
| 15-28 days before (not earlier or later) | Electoral Roll completion date – any additional names received after this may not be added until after the APCM. |
n/a |
| At least 14 days before | Publish revised Electoral Roll for at least 14 days before the APCM (names only, no other personal information must be displayed) | 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 Nominees to complete a fit & proper person declaration (become a trustee on joining PCC) |
C2: Churchwarden’s nomination form M5: Fit and proper person declaration |
| 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 |
|
FOR CASUAL VACANCIES ONLY, NEXT ELECTION YEAR FOR DEANERY SYNOD REPS IS 2026 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 Where deanery synod casual vacancies have been filled: 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 (& any 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 30 June |
Respond to the ‘Post APCM Parish Audit 2024’ email from the Diocese (to be sent to PCC Secretaries in May) 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 |
| By 1 July |
Confirm the electoral roll (ER) number to the diocese: 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 is 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. |
E3: Electoral roll certificate |
See APCM FAQs for further information
Any issues with the above process and submissions, please contact sue.zajac@oxford.anglican.org for further guidance.