Also issued separately as Guidance for the Churchwardens
Section A: General and preparatory
Section B: Formal procedures: also for the PCC Secretary
Section C: The Vacancy Account: also for the PCC Treasurer
Section D: The parsonage house
Section E: The new appointment

Section A: General and preparatory
In the vacancy the Churchwardens are legally in charge of the parish and act on behalf of the Bishop in looking after the interests of the parish. If you have any questions, the Rural Dean, the Archdeacon and the Diocesan Secretary will be pleased to assist.

Pre-vacancy meeting
When the vacancy is announced, the Archdeacon holds a meeting with the churchwardens and the Rural Dean to explain the procedure and to deal with arrangements for cover during the vacancy.

Vacancy meeting
An informal vacancy meeting is arranged by the Archdeacon at an early stage and is attended by members of the PCC(s), the Archdeacon, the Suffragan Bishop and the Patron. At this meeting the procedures to be followed in making a new appointment will be explained and any particular issues clarified. The procedure for the appointment of a freehold incumbent is governed by a piece of legislation called The Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1983 [See Section B]. A different procedure applies where the living is suspended and a priest-in-charge is to be appointed.

Parish Profile
The Archdeacon makes arrangements for a profile of the Benefice to be written by representatives of the parish(es). He or she will consult the outgoing priest separately. The profile should contain information about the local community as well as the life of the congregation. The draft is sent to the Archdeacon who includes a Diocesan perspective and then returns it to the PCC Secretary for final approval. [The Parish Profile must be agreed at the PCC(s)’s Section 11 meeting if the appointment is of a freehold incumbent. Where the Crown is the Patron, the PCC has a right to send a copy of the Parish profile to the Patron to assist in making an appointment, even though the main provisions of the Patronage (Benefices) Measure do not apply. Where the appointment is of a priest-in-charge, the Profile is still an important part of the process.]

Cover during the vacancy
If there are assistant ministers in the parish (including non-stipendiaries), the Rural Dean convenes a meeting with the outgoing priest, the assistants, the Churchwardens and the Rural Dean to discuss practical arrangements for the conduct of the vacancy, and these are set out on paper [See F19 and F20]. Where there are no assistant ministers, the Bishop will nominate a neighbouring priest to be available for pastoral emergencies, and send the name to the churchwardens. It may also be helpful for the churchwardens to ensure they have an up-to-date copy
of the Diocesan Directory giving contact details for other clergy in the deanery.

Church Services
Church services are arranged by the Churchwardens in consultation with the Rural Dean, and the Churchwardens are responsible for ensuring that a minister is available to conduct each service. You should not wait for the vacancy to begin before putting this matter in hand. While no major innovations or alterations in the pattern or nature of services should be made in a vacancy, it is sometimes necessary for the parish to be flexible about service times to enable other clergy to assist. Service times should be clearly advertised on the church notice board, in the porch and elsewhere.

Advertising the vacancy
The Archdeacon writes a short notice of the vacancy which is circulated to all the clergy of the diocese in the monthly mailing known as “the Bundle”. It is also the practice in this diocese to advertise vacancies on the diocesan website, in the Archbishops’ Appointments Adviser’s List and in the church press.

The hand-over from the outgoing priest
When the outgoing priest leaves, it is the responsibility of the churchwardens to ensure that the incumbent has handed over to them all files, records and keys, including Diocesan Handbooks, and that the parsonage house meters have been read and bills paid. The utilities (gas, electricity and telephone) should be put in the name of the churchwardens during the vacancy. The churchwardens should check that the house is clean and empty, and arrange for cleaning and removal of leftbehind furniture if necessary.

Section B: Formal procedures
Special arrangements for the appointment of an incumbent
Under the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986, when an incumbent’s resignation is announced, the Designated Officer (who in this diocese is the Diocesan Secretary or Registrar) sends a formal notice of the forthcoming vacancy (Form 31) to the Patron and the PCC Secretary. (More detailed guidance on the vacancy procedure is sent out at this stage to the PCC Secretary).

Once the formal notice from the Designated Officer (Form 31) has been received, a special meeting of the PCC must be held within four weeks. If there is more than one parish in the benefice, the meeting must be a joint meeting of all the PCCs. At this meeting (from which the outgoing incumbent and spouse and the patron are excluded) the following matters must be dealt with:

1. The Benefice must formally agree the profile of the Parish(es), [or individual profiles for each parish] together with a statement about the new incumbent’s task and priorities as they see them. This profile is returned to the Archdeacon for distribution to the Patron (if not the Bishop) and also to the Bishop of the Diocese, the Suffragan Bishop and the Diocesan Secretary.
2. The PCC will normally elect two of its lay members to act as its representatives in the selection of the new incumbent. These representatives need not be the Churchwardens, though in practice PCCs usually find it is convenient to appoint the Churchwardens. Where there are more than two parishes in the benefice, at least 4 parish representatives are appointed including at least one from each parish. It is helpful if one can be identified as a “lead” representative for contact purposes.
3. The PCC may request the Patron to advertise the post [in addition to the standard adverts mentioned above], and may ask for a joint meeting with the Bishop and the Patron where they feel that this is necessary [normally matters for discussion at such a meeting will have been covered at the informal vacancy meeting].
4. The PCC must consider whether to pass resolutions under the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993 or, if such resolutions have been passed, whether to rescind them. Where the Crown (or the Duchies of Lancaster or Cornwall or the Lord Chancellor) is the patron, the main provisions of the Patronage (Benefices) Measure do not apply and the PCC does not need to hold a special meeting or appoint representatives. However, the PCC has a right to send a copy of the Parish Profile to the Crown Appointments Adviser.

Special arrangements for the appointment of a priest in charge
If there is a new proposal to ‘suspend’ the patron’s right of presentation to the benefice, the Diocesan Pastoral Committee will consult the parishes. In the case of a ‘suspended’ benefice the Bishop invites the parishes to produce a profile and asks the churchwardens of the benefice to assist him in making the appointment of a priest-in-charge. In practice an informal vacancy meeting will always be held and the patron will be consulted over the appointment of the priest-in-charge. The PCC must still consider item (4.) above concerning resolutions under the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure. Further information about the process of suspending presentation is given in F17.

Special arrangements for the appointment of a team vicar
The appointment of a team vicar is not covered by the provisions of the Patronage (Benefices) Measure but will be the responsibility of the Rector and Bishop acting jointly or the special Patronage Board for the Team, depending on how the Team is constituted. There are special provisions to ensure that the other Team clergy, and the parishioners within the Team area who will be in the special care of the new team vicar, are consulted and separate details will be given. However, the process for the appointment of a team vicar is similar to that in other vacancies. Please see also F20 for further information about special arrangements in a team ministry.

The PCC
During the vacancy the PCC is chaired by the Lay Vice-Chairman.

Section C: The Vacancy Account
The parish’s Stipend Contribution will be reduced in the vacancy by 20% and this saving should be used to cover additional costs incurred during the vacancy and in relation to the appointment (visiting clergy; interview expenses, etc.). In principle, during a vacancy the incumbent’s portion of any wedding, funeral or monument fees is due to the Diocesan Stipends Fund. However, in practice churchwardens are instructed to hold that money on the Diocese’s behalf for the period of the vacancy. This is in order that certain expenses relating to the vacancy can be met, to the extent that they have not been covered by the 20% reduction in the Stipend Contribution.

The Parochial Church Council should open a Vacancy Account which is operated by the churchwardens. A separate bank account is not necessary, though the Treasurer must keep a separate record in the books. Movements on the Vacancy Account are not part of the receipts and payments (or income and expenditure) of the PCC, but could be shown as a note to the PCC accounts.

Income
The incumbent’s portion of any wedding, funeral or monument fees is paid into the Vacancy Account.

Expenditure
The Vacancy Account is used for certain parsonage house expenses (see Section D). The account may also be used to cover the expenses of Sunday and weekday services and of occasional offices (baptisms outside regular services, marriages and funerals) but these expenses should normally be met from the parish’s saving in Stipend Contribution.

Fees
Details of fees to be paid to retired clergy and others who take Sunday services or occasional offices during the vacancy are set out in G3.

At the end of the vacancy
Any surplus in the Vacancy Account should be forwarded to the Diocesan Office for payment into the Diocesan Stipends Fund. A copy of the Vacancy Account should be sent to the Estates Secretary.

Section D: The parsonage house
Responsibility for the parsonage house
The parsonage house is held in trust for the benefice and during the period of office of a particular incumbent the house is vested in him or her as legal owner. With this ownership goes the responsibility for seeing that the house and grounds are properly cared for and maintained under the overall supervision of the Property Committee of the Diocesan Board of Finance. During a vacancy in the benefice, the churchwardens are asked to assume these responsibilities and to see that the house remains weatherproof and is locked up at all times. Twice weekly inspections should be made to see that no unauthorised entry has been gained and that everything is in order. Any problems should be reported to the Estates Secretary at the Diocesan Office. The cost of repairs will be met by the Property Committee but other running expenses of the house will be the responsibility of the churchwardens and should be charged to the Vacancy Account.

Running expenses and services
Running expenses include garden maintenance, including grass cutting; cleaning; sweeping the chimney(s); and any gas, electricity or oil during the vacancy. Arrangements should be made with the telephone company to switch off the telephone at the exchange: the number will be retained but standing charges are not normally made until the telephone is switched back on. The telephone should not be disconnected as charges for re-connection are quite high. Please contact the Estates Department of the Diocesan Office about the central heating; usually the heating should be left on continuously at a very low temperature, minimum of 6°C, between the months of October and March but sometimes it may be more appropriate to drain the whole system down and switch off the water, gas and electricity.

Redecoration and other repairs during the vacancy
At an early stage in the vacancy the Archdeacon, the Estates Secretary, and sometimes the Diocesan Surveyor, visit the parsonage with the churchwardens, and note any repairs which need to be carried out while the house is empty. They also discuss any redecoration that may be needed. The diocese makes a grant towards the cost of decorating. No redecoration is carried out, of course, until the new incumbent has been appointed and has been consulted about the colour scheme. It is hoped that parishes will take responsibility for necessary redecoration, and this should be seen as an opportunity for the parish to be generous in providing a welcoming atmosphere for the new incumbent (and family), though the new parish priest may wish to do some of it personally. The diocese makes a grant towards the cost of decorating; the grant is doubled if the parsonage has been let.

Improvements
Parishes (and new incumbents) often wish to have improvements (such as new kitchens) carried out during a vacancy: whilst acknowledging the logic of this, the Diocesan Board of Finance does not always have the funds available to permit this unless there is letting income. There is a long waiting-list of improvements. Sometimes a parish or the Patron can provide the money themselves in order for the work to be carried out. When a new incumbent is appointed, attention is drawn to the fact that, in accepting the benefice, the parsonage house is accepted as it is.

Insurance
The diocese holds a ‘blanket’ insurance policy covering parsonage houses against normal risks and public liability during a vacancy, but this policy only holds good on the understanding that the house is secured and regularly inspected and that the utility supplies have been dealt with as indicated above. Insurance cover for theft of structural items (eg. fireplaces, roof tiles, radiators etc.) and wilful damage is provided up to a maximum sum of £2,500 and there is cover up to £5,000 for oil and water leakages in respect of any one house, but this lapses after a house has been empty for more than two years. There is no insurance cover during a vacancy for any contents in the house unless the PCC chooses to take out independent insurance. There is public liability cover to a maximum of £3,000,000.

Letting the vacant house
The Property Committee has a policy of letting parsonages during vacancies. This removes the legal burden of looking after the parsonage from the churchwardens. It also discourages vandalism and squatters and produces much-needed income, the first call on which is for work to the parsonage concerned. Any surplus is paid into the Diocesan Stipends Fund to help meet the payment of stipends throughout the diocese. The Archdeacon will take the opportunity to discuss the possibility of this with the churchwardens at an early stage, during the pre-vacancy meeting. It should be understood that legally, agreement for letting the house rests with the churchwardens and not the PCC. The procedure for letting is that the churchwardens and the Estates Secretary are appointed as sequestrators of the benefice; this is a legal requirement which allows the parsonage to be let. They also sign the tenancy agreement which is usually a 6 month Assured Shorthold Tenancy. The Estates Secretary is responsible for arranging for the property to be let and the tenancy is managed by the Estates Department.

A decision on letting has to be taken as soon as possible as the legal minimum length of a tenancy is six months. As most vacancies are at least six months long, letting the parsonage will not interfere with the appointments procedure for a new vicar as long as the decision to let is taken early.

Section E: The new appointment
In the Church of England, appointments are made by Patronage. A Patron can be a private individual, a Patronage Trust or Board, a Cathedral or College, or the Bishop. All appointments are regulated by the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986 and both the Patron and the Diocese must act in accordance with the process as set out in the Measure.

Meeting a candidate or candidates
The Patron may identify a suitable candidate or candidates in a variety of ways. Sometimes there may be a process of competitive advertising and shortlisting of candidates, followed by competitive interviews. In either case the Patron will seek to work together with the Bishop and with the Parish Representatives appointed at the special PCC meeting. In some cases the Patron will identify one candidate and present that person to the Parish Representatives. Whatever the process, when a suitable candidate or candidates has or have been identified, the Parish Representatives will be asked to meet them at the earliest opportunity. They should show them round the parish, and talk frankly about its needs and opportunities. They should also arrange for a meeting with time for discussion with all assistant ministers including Readers and any Local Ministry Team.

The candidate(s) should, wherever possible, meet others in the parish such as the Head Teacher of a church school, or student in training on a ministerial training course, and this is to be encouraged provided everyone understands that the assessment of any candidate’s suitability is a matter for the Parish Representatives alone.

Assistant ministers must report their own reactions to the Parish Representatives, and not to the Bishop or Patron. The Parish Representatives have a right of veto over the appointment, but they need to bear in mind that those making the
appointment are primarily seeking God’s will for the future mission in the parish and that the candidate is also seeking God’s will for his or her own ministry.

The service
Once the appointment has been made, the Archdeacon arranges the date of the Institution or Collation Service of the new incumbent, or the licensing of the priest-in- charge or team vicar, with the Bishop, the Patron and the minister-designate.

(Where the Bishop is the Patron the service is known as a Collation, and where there is some other Patron it is called an Institution). The Archdeacon will also send instructions about the standard form of service in use in the diocese and he or she will provide sufficient copies for the occasion. They must be returned to him/her afterwards and should not be taken away by members of the congregation. It is the churchwardens’ responsibility (and not that of the new incumbent) to have the hymn sheets printed and to issue invitations. The new priest is invited to select the hymns for the service and to provide the names of those he or she wishes to invite.

Full details of the process following the appointment are sent by the Archdeacon to the churchwardens.

It is a good idea to notify the local press of the Institution/Collation or Licensing service and invite the Editors to send a reporter and/or photographer to be present. It would be a good idea to ask the new minister for some personal details, for example, age, marital status, names of spouse and children, education, previous experience etc. These details could then be forwarded to the local newspapers with the invitation. The new priest can also be invited to write an introductory letter for the parish magazine. The Diocesan Communications Officer will be happy to advise about the publicity aspect.

Moving expenses
When the new incumbent moves in, removal expenses are paid by the diocese and also a resettlement allowance at the current level as indicated in the annual stipends circular to incumbents, a copy of which is sent to PCC Treasurers. There is also a further grant if this is the candidate’s first incumbency.

The new partnership
Once the new incumbent is appointed it is for the Churchwardens and assistant staff and everyone in the congregation to create a spirit of welcome for the new priest (and family), to do all they can to make the appointment a success, and to ensure that the ministry and mission of the parish is carried forward in a spirit of partnership.