The Parochial Church Council (PCC)

The PCC is a registered charity…

of which its members are trustees. It has responsibility for governance and determining the mission of the Priory, our Christian worship and our witness. It has overall charge of expenditure and is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the Priory building and its contents.

The licensed clergy and churchwardens are ex-officio members of the PCC, as are our 5 members of the laity on the deanery synod. At present (September 2025) we have 14 other representatives of the laity on the PCC, including the officers of the PCC (Vice-chair, Treasurer and Secretary). The Operations Manager, who is also the Parish Safeguarding Officer, attends Council meetings.

Members of the laity on the PCC are elected for periods of three years at the Annual Parochial Church Meetings. Each year, five members retire and are replaced by new members.

The PCC oversees five Committees: Buildings & Grounds, Finance, Mission, Priory Development Plan, and Worship. These are in effect the ‘engine room’ of the PCC. Members of the PCC serve on these Committees. In addition, there are many PCC Groups, comprising members of the congregation, which report to the Committees. More information on the organisational structure of the PCC can be found here.

A Standing Committee, consisting of the vicar and the officers of the PCC, can act on behalf of the PCC when urgent decisions are required before its next meeting. Any action taken is reported to the PCC. Members of the Standing Committee plus the Operations Manager meet as a Church Management Team, once every four weeks, in order to facilitate the day-to-day running of the Priory.