8.1 Decision making for the Partnership shall be organised through the Local Churches within their normal practice, as defined by their Standing Orders. The principal Partnership body for joint decision-making shall be the Partnership Council (also known as the Council). The Council shall meet at least four times per year and shall be open for all members to attend.
For the purposes of the United Reformed Church, lay members of the Partnership Council shall be considered as the equivalent of Elders.
For the purposes of the Methodist Church, the Partnership Council shall be considered as the equivalent of the Church Council.
The Council shall comprise the Staff Team and appointed/elected lay people from each Local Church in the Partnership. Further details are in Appendix 3 Standing Orders. Those appointed or elected shall normally be or become members of the decision-making body of their Local Churches. In addition to other members the Methodist Circuit shall appoint a Circuit Steward to be a member of the Council, in accordance with Methodist Standing Order 611.
8.2 The Council shall appoint a Secretary and an honorary Treasurer at the Partnership Annual General Meeting. Where those appointed are members of the Partnership, they shall retain full voting rights at meetings of the Council.
8.3 The Council shall elect from its number a Chairperson and Vice Chair.
8.4 The Council may set up such committees and working groups as it may from time to time consider necessary. The current structure is shown in the Appendices to this Constitution, but does not form part of it.
8.5 In addition to ordinary Council meetings there shall be a Partnership Annual General Meeting, at which a report shall be given by the Chairperson or Secretary of the Partnership Council, and Partnership accounts be presented.
8.6 Other Special General Meetings may be held as required, according to the Standing Orders.
A Special General Meeting may be called at any time to discuss any substantial and significant issue, at the request of any one of the following :
All members of the Church Partnership shall be eligible to attend and vote on any motions put to the meeting. Non-members may also attend meetings and may speak by invitation of the Chair, but may not vote.
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