DIOCESE OF
WAKEFIELD

Useful information, guidelines and help with a range of church and people issues. This area is being continually revised and updated.

• The election of Churchwardens and the Annual Parochial Church Meeting - guidance notes - March 2009
• Church Representation Rules 2011 - an essential guide to church rules (external link to online rules)
• Nomination form for election of Churchwarden
• Nomination form for election to PCC
• Nomination form for election to Deanery Synod
• Notice of Annual Meetings
• Notice of election of Churchwardens
• Notice of elections at Annual Meetings
• Registrar's Letter re Churchwarden's length of service - March 2008

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• Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 - complaints of misconduct - general information (external link)
• Clergy Discipline Measure - code of practice (external link, pdf 400kb)
• Clergy Discipline Measure - Guidance for Clergy

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• Assigned fees form (clergy)
• Car loan scheme for clergy and lay workers (external link)
• Charities giving grants and help to clergy
• Clergy and licensed lay workers - pensions and housing (external link)
• Clergy deployment, remuneration and conditions of service (external link)
• Clergy expenses and reimbursement (external link)
• Clergy legal defence protection policy summary
• Clergy parental benefits (external link)
• Clergy sickness – statutory sick pay form (external link)
• Clergy sickness – what to do
• Clergy payroll services including tax (external link)
• Dignity at Work - guidance for churches to reduce incidents of bullying and harassment at work (external link)
• Recruitment of ex-offenders policy (Wakefield Diocese)

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• Common Tenure - information and guidance
• Role Description Workshop Clergy - PowerPoint presentation
• Writing Role Description - hints and tips
• How to write the 'Specific' section of a Role Description
• Role Description Template (Word doc)
• Sample Role Description Wakefield

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• A guide to good practice for working agreements
• Clergy holidays and time off
• Clergy holiday accommodation (external link)
• Clergy retirement housing information (external link)
• Diocesan Clergy Handbook - August 2011
• Handbook for clergy households
• Health Checks for employees of Wakefield Diocese 2012. Letter.
• Houses Handbook (from diocesan Property Department)
• St Luke's Healthcare for the Clergy

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• Clergy Appointments Advisor (external link)
• Clergy sabbaticals - guidance notes
• CME - clergy in-service training grant request (Word doc)
• CME - clergy retreat grant request (Word doc)
• Identifying appropriate training incumbents
• Information for new ordinands (external link)
• MDR - Bishop's accompanying letter - May 2011
• Ministerial Development Review (MDR) Scheme - updated March 2012
• MDR Appendix 1 - Pastoral Review Meeting - preparation  - March 2012 (Word doc)
• MDR Appendix 2 - Pastoral Visits 2012 - March 2012 (Word doc)
• MDR Appendix 3 - Pastoral Review Meeting - summary - March 2012 (Word doc)
• MDR Appendix 4 - Peer Reviewers - January 2012 (Word doc)
• MDR Appendix 5 - Peer Review Self-reflection Form - December 2011(Word doc)
• MDR Appendix 6 - Example letter requesting feedback (Word doc)
• MDR Appendix 7 - Ministerial Review Feedback Form (Assistant status) (Word doc)
• MDR Appendix 8 - Ministerial Review Feedback Form (Incumbent status) (Word doc)
• MDR Appendix 9 - Peer Review Summary Form (Word doc)
• Link to Continuing Ministerial Education (CME) page
• Procedures with regard to curates

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• Admission of baptised children to Holy Communion - Regulations 2006
• Admission of baptised children to Holy Communion - Parish Application Form
• Canons of the Church of England (Canon Law) (external link)
• The Charities Act and the PCC - 3rd edition 2006 (external link)
• Guidance on Fees - Wakefield Diocese - November 2012
• Church of England Fees Table 2013
• Clergy Fees Record Form (pdf)
• Clergy Fees Record Form (Excel)
• Occasional Offices - DBF Fee Nomination Form
• Grants Table - Retired Clergy 2013
• Church copyright and performing rights (external link)
• Playing Sound Recordings at Church - July 2011
• Church or parish halls - model hiring agreement for PCCs (downloadable Word doc)
• Church Representation Rules online - an essential guide to church rules (external link)
• Churchwarden's Measure 2001 - a brief guide (Peterborough Diocese)
• Data Protection – a guide for parishes
• Data Protection guidance (Truro diocese)
• Funeral Arrangements - letter to parish clergy - July 2009
• Funeral Arrangements - letter to retired clergy - July 2009
• Handbook for Churchwardens and Parochial Church Councils - useful overview of church law and regulations (external link to purchase)
• Keep or Bin? – care of parish records
• Premises licensing regulations 2005 - some notes
• Pastoral and Mission Measure - Guide for Rural Churches 2007 (pdf 2.5MB)
• Wakefield Common Fund Calculation Method
• Youth and Children's Worker Employment Guidelines

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• Advice on funding and fundraising for buildings (external link)
• Archaeological requirements for works on churches and churchyards
• Bishop’s guidelines – aumbries
• Caring for your church building and church's contents - maintenance, repair and care (external link to Churchcare)
• Chancellor’s guidelines – De Minimis rules
• Chancellor’s guidelines – statements of significance and need
• Developing your Church Building - advice and information on extended and additional uses, alterations and extensions (external link to Churchcare)
• Diocesan guidelines – carpets
• Diocesan guidelines – fine art
• Diocesan guidelines – lighting
• Diocesan guidelines - organ and blower maintenance
• Diocesan guidelines – reordering for worship
• Diocesan guidelines – sound systems
• Diocesan guidelines – window protection
• Disability access advice (external link to Churchcare)
• Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2000 (Appendix A) - Archdeacon's Faculty
• Flooding and Historic Buildings - practical advice about anticipating and dealings with flooding disasters - (external link to English Heritage)
• General guidelines – making changes to a listed church
• Guidance on church security (external link)
• National Churchwatch - security guidance for churches and people (external link)
• Procurement and Tendering Rules - guidance for parishes
• Smoke Free Regulations - website (external link)
• Smoke Free Regulations - guide (external link)
• Smoke Free Regulations - signage (external link)
• Smoke Free signage - guidance for churches

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• Archaeological requirements for works on churches and churchyards
• Care of churchyards – a brief guide
• Caring for your churchyard - management and legislation (external link to Churchcare)
• Chancellor’s guidelines – churchyard regulations
• Grave or Memorial Stone erection - application form
• Guide for Burial Ground Managers (external link)
• Ministry of Justice - Managing the safety of burial ground memorials - January 2009
• Ministry of Justice - Memorial Safety Guidance Q&A - January 2009
• Ministry of Justice - sensible approach to memorial safety - January 2009
• Trees in Churchyards - Wakefield Diocese guidelines

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• Arson and Malicious Damage Guidance Notes - January 2010
• Church Fire Risks with guidance and risk assessment forms and Hot Work Permit (external link to Ecclesiastical)
• Fire Safety Guidance - letter from the Archdeacons
• Fire Safety Guidance - notes from EIO
• Fire safety - a short guide (external link)
• Fire safety - small and medium places of assembly (churches) ( external link)
• Portable Electrical Equipment in Offices and other Low Risk Environments(external link)

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• Accident and Witness Report Form (external link to Ecclesiastical)
• Chancellor’s guidelines – trees in churchyards
• Church Health and Safety advice from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (external link)
• Drivers and Corporate Manslaughter - diocesan guidance
• Driver's Declaration (rtf)
• Electrical Safety in Churches - advice from Ecclesiastical
• First Aid at Work: Health and Safety Executive (external link)
• Five Steps to Risk Assessment (external link)
• Portable Electrical Equipment in Offices and other Low Risk Environments(external link)
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT testing) - advice and information (external link)
• Preventing slips and trips at work (external link)
• Reporting injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences (external link)
• Safe use of ladders and stepladders (external link)
• Safe use of lifting equipment (external link)
• Safe use of work equipment (external link)
• The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (external link)
• Vertical Ladders Guidance - advice from Ecclesiastical
• Work at Height (external link to a number of relevant leaflets)

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• Asbestos and church properties (external link)
• A Short Guide to Managing Asbestos in Premises (external link)
• Asbestos and organs (external link)
• Asbestos health and safety issues (external link to Health and Safety Executive)
• Asbestos management (West Yorkshire Methodist District presentation)
• Asbestos Watchdog (asbestos industry information and enquiry service - external link)

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• Personal safety - advice and positive practical guidance (external link)
• Personal safety - advice for clergy, churches and others from National Churchwatch (external Link)
• Personal safety - clergy safety - advice from the Diocese of London (external link)

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• Church Security - advice from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• A Fragile Inheritance - the Care of Stained Glass and Historic Glazing, book published by Church House Publishing (external link to purchase)
• Data Protection – a guide for parishes
• Data Protection guidance (Truro diocese)
• Data Protection website (external link)
• Metal theft - anti theft advice from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• Guidance on Metal Theft from English Heritage (external link)
• National Church Watch (external link)
• Safe and Sound? A Guide to Church Security, booklet published by Church House Publishing (external link to purchase).

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• Council for Christian Unity - work with other churches (external link)
• Churches in relationship with the Church of England
• 21 steps to encourage local mission and unity
• Churches designated under the Sharing of Church Buildings Act
• Canon B43 - relations with other churches
• How any CofE parish can share worship with Christians of other traditions
• Check list - for the application of Canon B43
• Canon B44 - text and introductory notes
• How the Church of England shares in Local Ecumenical Partnership with other churches (Canon B44)
• Involvement of other churches in the life of Church of England parishes
• Salvation Army and Quakers - guidelines 2005
• Summary of Canons B1 to B42
• Code of Practice for Canons B43 and B44
• Ecumenical participation in Ordinations
• How dioceses can authorise ministers of other churches for work in single-congregation LEPs
• When ministers occupy houses belonging to other denominations
• Finance and LEPs - good practice
• Joint Confirmations - guidelines for good practice
• A Declaration of Ecumenical Welcome
• Anglican-Methodist Covenant - the Text
• Applying Canon B 43 in the context of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant

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• Changes to Publishing Banns of Marriage from 19 December 2012
• Note re Hours marriage may take place - October 2012
• Marriage Measure - October 2008 Includes guidance from the House of Bishops and Specimen Welcome Form (external link)
• Marriage in church after divorce (external link)
• Marriage in church after divorce - explanatory leaflet for inquirers
• Marriage in church after divorce - House of Bishops advice to clergy
• List of Surrogates for accepting applications for Marriage Licences - November 2012
  This list now includes both Archdeacons.
• Banns Certificates - who may sign them - letter to clergy August 2010
• Marriage of persons from outside the European Economic Area
• Guidance for Clergy in relation to foreign-element marriages - January 2012
• Accompanying letter to clergy regarding guidance to foreign-element marriages - January 2012
• Home Office Identity and Passport Newsletter 1 - August 2011
• Church of England's submission to the Government Equalities Office Consultation ‘Equal Civil Marriage’ - June 2012

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• Major Incident Plan, October 2005

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• Rural Deans - claim for reimbursement of expenses (pdf)
• Rural Deans - claim for reimbursement of expenses (xls)
• Rural Deans – guidelines - updated 2010

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• Diocesan Code of Good Practice
• Confidential declaration form
• CRB - Interview Identity Checklist
• Recruitment of ex-offenders policy
• Storage and handling of disclosure information
• Protecting All God's Children: House of Bishops Report 2010 (external link)

More information and resources about the protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults is available on the Safeguarding: child protection and vulnerable adults page.

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Wakefield Diocese produces various resources to help guide parishes through a vacancy or interregnum (when their priest leaves). This information is normally given to Parochial Church Councils at a special meeting (usually) with the Archdeacon before the outgoing priest leaves. That meeting helps explain what is involved, and what will happen next. These papers are a support and reminder.

• Covering letter from the Archdeacons
• Cover of the Vacancy Pack - revised January 2010
• Contents of the Vacancy Pack
• 1 What is involved with a vacancy - how do we get a new parish priest?
• 2 A guide to writing the statement of the conditions, needs and traditions of the parish (the ‘Parish Profile’)
• 3 The role of the parish representatives
• 4 The role of the churchwardens
• 5 The role of the vice-chairperson of the PCC
• 6 The role of the Rural Dean
• 7 Information sheet for visiting clergy (pdf)
• 7 Information sheet for visiting clergy (editable rtf doc)
• 8 Who’s doing what during the vacancy? (pdf)
• 8 Who’s doing what during the vacancy? (editable rtf doc)
• 9 Institution/Licensing service: a note about the collection
• 10 Rural Dean’s briefing of the new priest
• 11 Care of curates and other ministers during a vacancy
• 12 Fees during a vacancy
• 13 Parsonage houses
• 14 Supporting schools during a vacancy
• 15 Who to invite to the Institution or Licensing
• Common Tenure explained
• A sheet to record the expenses of visiting clergy
• Resolutions A, B and C
• Institution and Induction Service resources (Word doc)

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• Information about Women Bishops

Article 8 of the Constitution of the General Synod provides that certain kinds of legislation may not receive the final approval of the General Synod unless they have first been approved by the majority of diocesan synods . Legislation to enable women to become bishops falls within the scope of Article 8.

• Documents refered under Article 8 for discussion

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Click here for useful links and resources (mostly external links).
Click here for a list of more worship resources on the site.

• Administration of Holy Communion by lay people and Extended Communion
• Admission to Communion before Confirmation (Bishop of Wakefield)
• Admission of baptised children to Holy Communion (Regulations 2006)
• Admission of Children to Communion Liturgy
• Bishop's Certificate in Pastoral Ministry - Authorisation service
• Bishop's Certificate in Pastoral Ministry - Authorisation service (rtf)
• Confirmation Report - sent after a Confirmation Service
• Institution and Induction Service resources (Word doc)

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