Parochial church council

A parochial church council (PCC) is the executive committee of a Church of England parish and consists of clergy and churchwardens of the parish, together with representatives of the laity.

Legally the council is responsible for the financial affairs of the church parish and the maintenance of its assets, such as churches and church halls, and for promoting the mission of the church.

PCCs were created by the Rules for the Representation of the Laity scheduled to the Constitution of the former National Assembly of the Church of England (or Church Assembly), which was adopted by the Convocations of Canterbury and York in 1919. Most of the remaining functions of the vestry meetings of parishes, and of the churchwardens of parishes, (i.e. those which had not been transferred to parish councils and other local authorities in the 19th century) were transferred to the PCCs by the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1921. (Measures passed by the Church Assembly, now replaced by the General Synod of the Church of England, are given the force of law by Act of Parliament, the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919.)

PCCs are now constituted under the Church Representation Rules (Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969).

The powers and duties of PCCs are laid down by the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956. They include the duty to co-operate with the incumbent (rector or vicar) or priest in charge of the parish in promoting the mission of the Church in the parish.

The PCC is responsible for the financial affairs of the church, and the care and maintenance of the church fabric and its contents, including demanding chancel repair liability from local inhabitants. These latter responsibilities are executed by churchwardens or other volunteers. It also has a voice in the forms of service used by the church and may make representations to the bishop and deanery synod on matters affecting the welfare and pastoral care of the parish.

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