# The Legislative Reform (Patronage of Benefices) Order 2019, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order amends the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986 (“the 1986 Measure”).
Article 2 amends section 7 of the 1986 Measure. Paragraph (3) provides that, where a benefice becomes vacant, the bishop of the diocese must give notice to the designated officer no later than the day on which the benefice becomes vacant. If the bishop becomes aware that a vacancy is shortly to arise, the bishop may continue to give such notice as he or she considers reasonable to the designated officer.
Paragraphs (5)(b) and (6) provide that the notice given under section 7(4) by the designated officer to the registered patron and the parochial church council secretary must include certain specified information rather than just whatever information may have been prescribed by the Patronage (Procedure) Committee. In particular, the notice must provide a “start date” to begin the timetable for filling the vacancy in the benefice.
Paragraph (7) provides that, where there is more than one registered patron, the designated officer should also send the notice under section 7(4) to the patrons with subsequent turns and take the opportunity to request up to date contact details from them.
Article 3 amends sections 11 and 12 of the 1986 Measure to provide for the existing periods of four weeks for section 11 meetings and six weeks for a section 12 meeting to be replaced by a single maximum period of six months beginning with the “start date” specified in the notice under section 7(4).
Article 4 amends section 16 of the 1986 Measure to provide for there to be a period of 18 months from the “start date” specified in the notice under section 7(4) before lapse occurs (at which point, the right of presentation lapses from the patron to the bishop or archbishop).
Article 5 inserts a new section 20A in the 1986 Measure to provide that, where patronage is exercised jointly by two or more patrons, any of those patrons may nominate one of the others to act on his or her behalf for the purposes of filling the vacancy.
Article 6 provides that notices and other documents sent under the 1986 Measure may be sent by email (as well as by the usual methods of post and personal service) and by any other electronic method specified in rules made by the Patronage (Procedure) Committee.
Article 7 updates various references in the 1986 Measure, including references to the Pastoral Measure 1983 which has since been consolidated by the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011.
Article 8 modifies the amendments made by this Order in its application to the Isle of Man.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/1183/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/legislative-reform-patronage-of-benefices-order-2019/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.