[This paper was originally published here.
An amended version (dated 14 June 2013) was published here.
In the text below deleted text is struck through and added text is underlined.]
The eight female clergy having rights of attendance at sittings of the House (to be known as ‘Regional Representatives’) shall be elected by Regional Electoral Colleges in the manner provided in these rules, each of the eight Regional Electoral Colleges electing one female cleric.
There shall be a Regional Electoral College for each of the eight regions specified in the schedule to these Rules, each comprising the respective dioceses specified in the schedule.
The members of the Regional Electoral College (to be known as ‘Regional Electors’) shall include two female clergy from each of the dioceses comprised within it.
The dean of any cathedral church in the diocese, if female, and any female archdeacon in the diocese shall be ex officio Regional Electors for the relevant Regional Electoral College.
If there is more than one female dean, or more than one female archdeacon, in the diocese, the dean or archdeacon (as the case may be) who has held that office in the diocese for the longest period of time shall be entitled to be an ex officio Regional Elector for the relevant Regional Electoral College.
If a diocese has fewer than two ex officio Regional Electors for the relevant Regional Electoral College, the diocesan bishop shall nominate one or, as the case may be, two senior female clerics holding office in the diocese as Regional Electors for the relevant Regional Electoral College. To be eligible for nomination, female clergy must:
In addition to Regional Electors holding office in, or appointed by the bishops of, the relevant dioceses, the membership of the South East and South and Central Regional Electoral Colleges shall include a female cleric nominated by the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey and by the Dean and Chapter of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, respectively. Such person must be the dean or a residentiary canon of the institution concerned.
Regional Electors shall hold office for the period of three years, beginning on 1 December 2013 31 July 2013 and on 1 December 31
July in each succeeding third year, subject to their continuing to hold office in a diocese in the area of the relevant Regional Electoral
College throughout that period.
In the event of a Regional Elector ceasing to hold office in a diocese in the area of the relevant Regional Electoral College she shall cease to be a Regional Elector.
Elections of Regional Representatives by Regional Electoral Colleges shall take place every three years, the first such election to take place by 1 October 2013 and subsequent elections to take place by 1 October in each successive third year.
To be eligible for election as a Regional Representative, a candidate must be a member of the relevant Regional Electoral College and must not have served a term as a Regional Representative previously (For this purpose ‘term’ means a full three-year term and does not include a shorter term served following the filling of a casual vacancy.)
Candidates for election may nominate themselves but must be seconded.
The election shall be conducted on a first-past-the-post basis. In the event of an equality of votes, the successful candidate must be determined by the casting of lots.
Subject to the provision made in these rules, Regional Electoral Colleges may make their own arrangements for elections of Regional Representatives.
Except as provided below, Regional Representatives shall hold office for a term of three years commencing on the 1 December following their election.
Regional Representatives shall continue to act as such for the three-year period for which they were appointed to hold office, subject to their continuing to hold office in a diocese in the area of the relevant Regional Electoral College throughout that period.
In the event of a Regional Representative ceasing to hold office in a diocese in the area of the relevant Regional Electoral College she shall cease to be a Regional Representative.
In such circumstances an election shall be held as soon as practicable, in the way described above, to fill the consequent casual vacancy. The cleric elected to fill the casual vacancy will hold office for the unexpired portion of the term of office of the Regional Electoral Representative whom she has replaced.
North West |
The Dioceses of
|
North East |
The Dioceses of
|
East Midlands |
The Dioceses of
|
West Midlands |
The Dioceses of
|
East Anglia |
The Dioceses of
|
South West |
The Dioceses of
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South East |
The Dioceses of
Royal Peculiar: Westminster Abbey |
South and Central |
The Dioceses of
Royal Peculiar: St George’s Chapel, Windsor |
The female cleric who shall have the right to attend and speak, but not vote, at meeting of the Standing Committee shall be a Regional Representative chosen by a lot from amongst those Regional Representatives willing to serve and representing a Regional Electoral College comprising dioceses in the relevant province. The selection of the Regional Representative shall alternate by province on an annual basis, the first Regional Representative being one representing a Regional Electoral College comprising dioceses in the Province of Canterbury.
The Regional Representative shall serve for a period of one year, commencing on 1 December 2013.