Our Lady Help of Christians, Rickmansworth

OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS, RICKMANSWORTH

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL (PPC)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

NATURE OF THE PPC

The PPC is not a deliberative structure but is rather a consultative body, which advises the Parish Priest on the spiritual, pastoral and social life of the parish community.

The Parish Finance Committee is a separate body (required by Canon Law and appointed by the Parish Priest), which together with the Parish Priest has responsibility for the financial management of parish resources.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE PPC

For the initial period of 18 months (from September 2014 until February 2016) the membership of the PPC will consist of the Parish Priest (President of the PPC), the Assistant Priest andeight parishioners invited and appointed to the PPC by the Parish Priest.

During this initial period it will be the responsibility of the Parish Priest, in consultation with the PPC, to decide on the method by which, beginning from February 2016,half of the lay membership of the PPC may be elected directly by and from the parish community.

At the last PPC meeting of 2015 half (four) of the lay PPC members will be invited to resign (to create vacancies for those being elected from the parish community) with effect from the AGM in February 2016. The remaining lay members will continue in office for a further year, until February 2017 (thus providing continuity), when the Parish Priest will appoint four new members of the PPC for a two year term of office.

Thus, from February 2016, in alternate years, half of the lay members of the PPC will be appointed by the Parish Priest and the other half by election from the parish community – each serving a two year term of office.

No elected members shall serve more than two consecutive terms, but shall be eligible for re-election subsequently.

Members appointed by the Parish Priest will serve for a two year term of office only, but may seek election to the PPC at the next parish election. The Parish Priest may appoint previously appointed members after an interval of two years.

OFFICERS OF THE PPC

The Chair and the Secretary shall be elected from and by the lay members of the PPC and shall remain in office for 18 months (for the initial period) and thereafter be elected for a one year term of office. After February 2016, the Chairperson and the Secretary may be chosen by the PPC members from either the elected or an appointed membership of the PPC. The election of a Chair and Secretary will take place at the first meeting of the PPC after the AGM.

The Chair is to chair meetings when delegated to do so by the President and is to assist the President in the preparation of the agenda for meetings. In addition, the Chairperson will, from time to time, meet with the President and the Chairs of the PPCs of St John Fisher, Chorleywood and St John the Evangelist, Mill End. The Chairperson will report back to the PPC on these meetings.

The Secretary takes minutes of the meetings and, after approval by the President and the Chairperson, distributes them to PPC members. The President, in consultation with the Chairperson, will prepare a note of the meeting for presentation to the parish.

VACANCIES

In the case of the resignation of an elected member, the Parish Pastoral Council continues until the next AGM when the election of new elected members takes place as usual.

In the case of the resignation of an appointed member, the President may choose whether or not to appoint a new appointed member, with the appointment running until the end of the resigning member’s period of office.

A PROPOSED PROCESS FOR THE ELECTION OF PPC MEMBERS

Beginning in February 2016, and in each subsequent February, the President will call an Annual General Meeting of the parish. Elections to the PPC will only take place in even numbered years.

When the AGM is first advertised in the parish newsletter four weeks before the meeting, a notice will also be included in the newsletter requesting parishioners to nominate candidatesto the Chairpersonfor election to the PPC. Parishioners may nominate themselves. The Chairpersonwill then ascertain from the nominees whether they would be willing to stand. The Chairperson will advise the President of those who are willing to stand for election.

Two weeks prior to the AGM, the President shall publish in the parish newsletter the list of nominees willing to stand. If there are no nominees, a further request will be made in the newsletter. The Chairpersonwill again ascertain from these new nominees whether they are willing to stand for election. The Chairperson will advise the President of those who are now willing to stand for election.

One week before the AGM, the list of nominees willing to stand shall again be published.

At the AGM, elections take place as follows. The nominees are announced by the chair of the AGM, either the President or the existing Chair, if they have been delegated to chair the AGM by the President.

If there are four or less nominations all of them will be automatically elected to the PPC without the need for a vote.

If less than four parishioners stand for election, the Parish Priest may choose to appoint parishioners to fill the vacant posts.

If there are more than four candidates there will be a paper ballot on which parishioners may cast up to four votes.

The votes will be counted by one serving member of the PPC and two parishioners present at the AGM (excluding those standing for election).

The four candidates receiving the most votes will be elected to the PPC. In the event of a tie, the President has the casting vote.