REGULATION 9: Of the Diocesan Council

 

1. There shall be a Diocesan Council (hereinafter called “the Council”) which shall be responsible for the general administration of the Diocese under the direction of the Bishop.

2. The Council shall consist of the following persons constituted as follows:

(a) as “Ex-officio” members – The Bishop, the Vicar-General, the Archdeacon, the Dean, the Chancellor, the Registrar, the Trustees, the Chairman of the Diocesan Board of Finance, the Diocesan Secretary, and the Diocesan Property Adviser;

(b) one (1) clergyman and one (1) layperson elected annually by each of the four (4) Regional Councils from among its members at its first meeting after the appointment of its members from the Vestries;

(c) five (5) clergymen of which four (4) shall be priests and five (5) lay members of Synod, elected by the Synod at its annual session;

(d) two (2) persons, who need not be members of Synod, but must be communicant members of the Church, nominated by the Bishop annually immediately after the annual session of the Synod.

(e) One (1) Lay Ministers’ Warden who shall be appointed by the Bishop from among members of the Clergy.

*2A. The Council by majority decision shall declare a seat vacant and substitute alternates where:

(a) a member elected under Regulation 9 (2) (b) or 9 (2) (c ) fails on three consecutive occasions to attend a statutory meeting without valid excuse; or

(b) a member elected under Regulation 9(2) (b) or 9 (2) (c ) is unable to perform duties as a result of illness or death.

*2B. Alternates are to be provided as follows:

(a) One alternate clergyperson and one alternate lay person elected by each of the four (4) Regional Councils from among its members at its first meeting after appointment of its members from the vestries;

(b) Two (2) alternate priests and two (2) alternate laypersons elected by Synod at its annual session.

3. The Bishop shall be the Chairman of the Council, and in his absence the Vicar-General shall preside. Should the seat be vacant or the Bishop be absent from the Diocese, the Vicar-General shall be the Chairman of the Council.

4. (a) At least one (1) meeting of the Council shall be summoned for every month; provided that it shall not be necessary to summon a meeting for the Month of August;

(b) The Chairman and nine (9) other members shall form a quorum.

5. Vacancies in the Council occurring between the Annual Sessions of the Synod shall, if they occur among the Bishop’s nominees, be filled by the Bishop and, if among those elected by the Synod, by the Council and if among those elected by a Regional Council, by the Regional Council concerned.

6. The duties of the Council shall be:

(a) to advise the Bishop in all matters connected with administration of the Diocese;

(b) to receive reports of all committees and of the Regional Councils and to prepare the agenda for Synod;

(c) to prepare and circulate at least four (4) weeks before the Annual Session of Synod an estimate of ways and means for the ensuing year; and

(d) to appoint committees.

7. When Synod is not in session the Council shall exercise on behalf thereof the rights and powers vested in the Synod, subject to any limiting clause in these Regulations; provided that every Resolution passed by the Council in exercise of the power of control hereby conferred upon it shall be recorded in the Minutes of the Council and embodied in a special report to be laid before the Synod at the Annual Session next following the passage of such Resolution.

8. The Council shall present to the Annual Session of the Synod a general report covering its work and that of all its committees.