What is the Electoral Roll?
It is your parish church’s register of electors. In the same way that being on the civic Electoral Roll allows you to vote in parliamentary and local elections and referenda, joining the Church Electoral Roll means that you can vote on Church matters, attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and stand for election to the PCC.
Being on the Electoral Roll does NOT make you a “member” of the Church; simply regarding Holy Cross, St Margaret or St Michael depending on which parish is your spiritual home does that.

Do I have to join?
You can, of course, be a full and active member of any of our churches without joining the Roll. Being on the Electoral Roll does not entail signing up to any additional commitments, however, it does help the Church show its strength. Representation on the governing bodies of the church depends on the number on the Electoral Roll.

Joining the Roll is compulsory if you wish to:

  • Stand for election to the PCC or other synodical council (such as the Deanery, Diocesan or General Synod)
  • Attend the APCM and participate in votes
Who can be included on the Electoral Roll?
To be entitled to be included on the Electoral Roll, a lay person must have:
been Baptised, and attained their sixteenth birthday on or before the date of the annual parochial church meeting, and submitted a signed application form for enrolment, and must be one of the following:
  • a member of the Church of England, or of a Church in communion with the Church of England, and resident in the parish; or
  • a member of the Church of England and, not being resident in the parish, to have habitually attended public worship in the parish during a period of six months prior to enrolment; or
  • a member in good standing of a Church which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (not being a Church in communion with the Church of England) and also prepared to declare himself to be a member of the Church of England having habitually attended public worship in the parish during a period of six months prior to enrolment.
The electoral roll is fully renewed every 6 years (every one needs to reapply). The current cycle started on 15 March 2025.

What is expected of me if I am on the electoral roll?
There are no specific expectations. We invite everyone to take an active
part in our life together through prayer, worship, events, volunteering and
financial donations.

What happens to my information?
We are committed to keeping your information safe, and information is
collected and processed in line with our Data Privacy Policy. All the
information requested is needed to confirm you are eligible for the
electoral roll and to communicate with you about this.

We will publish only your name on a printed copy in church. We will not
publish your address, email address or any other information you provide.
We will only use this information for electoral roll purposes.

If you have any further questions don't hesitate to ask Fr John Wall, one of the Churchwardens (Dee or John) or the Electoral Roll Officer (Lynne). To join: Please download the pdf form including typing your name in the signature field, save the file and then return as attachment by email to our Parish Administrator. Alternatively you can obtain a paper copy in church and hand this in.