Synodical Government Measure 1969

[F131](1)The elections of members of the diocesan synod by the houses of clergy and laity of the deanery synods in the diocese shall take place every three years, and the members so elected shall hold office for a term [F2of three years beginning with the 1st [F3August] next following their election].E

(2)Any clerk in Holy Orders who is a member of the deanery synod F4. . . shall be qualified to be so elected by the house of clergy of a deanery synod, and the electors shall be [F5those whose names and addresses are recorded in the register of clerical electors]. . . [F6being the persons referred to in rule 24(2) and not including the persons co-opted to the deanery synod under rule 24(7)]:

(3)[F7Subject to the provisions of rule [F81(4)]] any lay person who is an actual communicant F9. . . [F10as defined in rule 54(1)]of [F11eighteen years or upwards] and whose name is entered on the roll of any parish in the deanery or who is a lay person declared by the dean to be a habitual worshipper at the cathedral church of the diocese and to be associated with the deanery, shall be qualified to be so elected by the house of laity of a deanery synod, and the electors shall be [F12those whose names and addresses are recorded in the register of lay electors] other than F9. . ..[F13persons co-opted to the deanery synod under rule 24(7)]

. . . F14

[F15[F16(4)]The qualifying date for electors under paragraphs (2) and (3) of this rule and when a casual vacancy is being filled shall be 6.00 a.m. on the date on which the nomination papers are issued [F17in accordance with rule 32(4)].

[F16(5)]The register of clerical electors and the register of lay electors shall be open to inspection at the diocesan office and any errors and omissions in the list may be corrected until the close of nominations. Thereafter no names may be added or removed until the declaration of the result of the election and those persons whose names are entered in the register shall be the qualified electors entitled to vote in that election.]

[F16(6)]The diocesan synod shall, not later than the [F1831st December] in the year preceding any such election determine the numbers of members to be so elected by the houses of the several deanery synods in the diocese, and the numbers shall—

(a)in the case of elections by the houses of clergy, be related to the numbers of members of those houses in the respective deanery synods;

(b)in the case of elections by the houses of laity, be related to the total numbers of names on the rolls of the parishes in the respective deaneries as certified . . . F19under rule 4:

F20(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F21(7)For the purpose of such determination by the diocesan synod, the secretary of every deanery synod shall, not later than the 1st June, certify to the secretary of the diocesan synod the number of members of the house of clergy of the synod as at the 30th April.]

[F16(8)]The diocesan synod shall so exercise their powers under this rule as to secure that the number of members of the synod is not less than 150 and not more than 270 and that the numbers of the F22. . . [F23houses of clergy and laity] are approximately equal:

. . . F24

[F25For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that the [F26number 270 specified in this paragraph includes] the maximum number of members who may be co-opted by each house or nominated by the bishop.]

[F16(9)]Not later than the 31st December in each year preceding any such elections, the secretary of the diocesan synod shall certify to the secretary of every deanery synod the numbers determined under this rule for that deanery synod.