2.1 Changes to Personal Circumstances
Whenever a new appointment is made, regardless of whether the individual is coming into the diocese from another, or moving within the diocese, a notice of appointment will be issued to trigger payroll.
If personal details change during an appointment, eg where bank details may change, an individual is requested to complete the form and return it to the diocesan Finance Department as soon as possible.
2.2 Stipend
You are entitled to a stipend of at least the National Minimum Stipend specified by the Central Stipends Authority. If you are part-time this is calculated on a pro-rata basis.
The amount of the stipend is payable at monthly intervals on the last working of each month.
You will receive each month an itemized statement of stipend from the Clergy Payments Department of the Church Commissioners which will also notify you of any changes in the amount of stipend payable.
Stipends are calculated in accordance with the method of computing income for augmentation purpose approved by the General Synod and include in the Central Stipends Authority’s Annual Report to the General Synod.
The body responsible for the payment of the stipend is the Diocesan Board of Finance. Please refer to the booklet “Your Stipend” issued by Church Commissioners.
The entitlement does not apply if the office holder is serving a custodial sentence.
2.3 Parochial Fees
Fees that were formerly payable to the incumbent have become payable to the DBF (or in a few cases, the PCC). Since almost all clergy who were legally entitled to fees assigned them to the DBF, the change in most cases will be that fees that were payable to the DBF by assignment have become payable to the DBF under legislation. Any questions on this subject can be answered by the Finance Department.
2.4 Expenses
You are entitled to the reimbursement of expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the exercise of your office. Reimbursement is the responsibility of the Parochial Church Council(s) of the parish(es) in which you serve. Guidance can be found in the booklet The Parochial Expenses of the Clergy: a guide to their reimbursement, published by the Central Stipends Authority.
2.5 Removal and Re-Settlement Grants
Your removal costs should be fully reimbursed and you should be offered a re-settlement grant of at least 10% of the National Minimum Stipend. The diocesan office will advise you how this policy applies in your particular case, and of their requirements.
2.6 First Appointment Grants
Individuals taking up a full-time post as assistant curate, deacon or licensed lay worker for the first time, and those taking up an appointment as an incumbent or minister of incumbent status for the first time, should receive a grant for at least 10% of the National Minimum Stipend to help with the additional costs incurred in taking up such a post.
2.7 Housing Allowances
A Housing allowance may be offered in certain circumstances. Any consideration of this will need to be discussed with the Archdeacon and the Chief Executive Officer.
2.8 Pension
Stipendiary posts
Your service is pensionable within the terms of the Church of England funded Pensions Scheme. There is no contracting-out certificate in force stating that the office is contracted-out employment for the purposes of Part III of the Pensions Schemes Act 1993.
Self-Supporting posts
Your service is not pensionable.
2.9 Annual Leave
In a calendar year you are entitled to a minimum of 6 weeks, which should include 6 Sundays. This would normally include a week after Christmas and Easter.
See section 5 for further guidance
2.10 Sickness Reporting
Your obligations and rights if you are unable to perform your duties because of sickness are set out at Regulation 27 of the Measure. https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/clergy-resources/national-clergy-hr/clergy-terms-and-conditions-service
If you are absent from work for any illness beyond the self-certification period (7 days) you are required to inform the Officer for HR and append your sick note.
For pastoral purposes both the Diocesan and Area Bishop (and the Director of Ministry if you are a curate) will be informed and will be in touch with you if your sickness exceeds three weeks to ensure what additional support you may need
In addition to the Statutory Sick Pay Scheme, you are entitled to 6 months full stipend in the event of sickness, and thereafter at the discretion of the Bishop of Lichfield. Any discretionary decisions will not create a precedent either for the diocese or for yourself.
See section 10 for detailed information.
2.11 Confidentialty
The diocese expects high standards of discretion and confidentiality at all times.
Failure to comply with these expectations will result in disciplinary action.
2.12 Health & Safety
Clergy have health and safety responsibilities, to themselves and their families, and within their churches and church buildings, and parochial responsibilities.
Please refer to section 11.
2.13 Security
In the event of any incident involving verbal abuse, threats or actual violence to a priest, deacon or a member of their household, they should contact their Rural Dean or Archdeacon immediately; they will provide immediate practical and pastoral assistance.
The diocese is committed to doing all it can to provide a safe working environment for clergy and lay workers and to equipping them to minister safely.
Clergy and lay workers should take all possible steps to ensure the personal safety of themselves and their families in relation to their houses and church office and vestries.
Much has been written about clergy safety issues in the light of local experiences. Below are some very basic precautions, and also some links to some of the published documents that clergy might find helpful/interesting.
Basic precautions
- ensuring that porches and entrances are well-lit, and the use of spy-holes
- not inviting unknown visitors beyond the office or study in a house
- not leaving unknown visitors unattended in an office or house
- not seeing children alone
- ensuring that other people know when you are seeing people in the house, or seeing people at an external venue, and that someone has a contact number for emergencies or an appropriate address.
2.14 Data Protection
The Archbishops’ Council has published guidance for parishes on issues of data protection, registration and compliance.
The Data Protection Act 1998: A Guide to Parishes
The Bishop’s Council has recently approved a new Data Protection Policy outlined below:
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance collects and uses information about people with whom it communicates. This personal information must be dealt with properly and securely however it is collected, recorded and used – whether on paper, in a computer, or recorded on other material – and there are safeguards to ensure this in the Data Protection Act 1998.
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance regards the lawful and correct treatment of personal information as very important to the successful and efficient performance of its functions, and to maintain confidence between those with whom it deals.
To this end Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance fully endorses and adheres to the Principles of Data Protection, as set out in the Data Protection Act 1998.
Purpose of Policy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the staff, volunteers and trustees of Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance are clear about the purpose and principles of Data Protection and to ensure that it has guidelines and procedures in place which are consistently followed.
Failure to adhere to the Data Protection Act 1998 is unlawful and could result in legal action being taken against Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance or its staff, volunteers or trustees.
Principles of Policy
The Data Protection Act 1998 regulates the processing of information relating to living and identifiable individuals (data subjects). This includes the obtaining, holding, using or disclosing of such information, and covers computerised records as well as manual filing systems and card indexes.
Data users must comply with the data protection principles of good practice which underpin the Act. To comply with the law, information must be collected and used fairly, stored safely and not disclosed to any other person unlawfully.
To do this Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance follows the eight Data Protection Principles outlined in the Data Protection Act 1998, which are listed below:
- Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully and, in particular, shall not be processed unless
(a) at least one of the conditions in Schedule 2* is met, and
(b) in the case of sensitive personal data, at least one of the conditions in Schedule 3* is also met. - Personal data shall be obtained only for one or more specified and lawful purposes, and shall not be further processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes.
- Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed.
- Personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.
- Personal data processed for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes.
- Personal data shall be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects under this Act.
- Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.
- Personal data shall not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal data.
* Schedule 2 relates to conditions such as the consent of an individual and the necessity of processing the data; Schedule 3 relates to the necessity and manner of processing of sensitive personal data – see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/schedule/2 and http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/schedule/3 for details.
The principles apply to “personal data” which is information held on computer or in manual filing systems from which they are identifiable. Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance’s Office holders, employees, volunteers and trustees who process or use any personal information in the course of their duties will ensure that these principles are followed at all times.
Procedures
The following procedures have been developed in order to ensure that Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance meets its responsibilities in terms of Data Protection. For the purposes of these procedures data collected, stored and used by Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance falls into two broad categories:
- Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance’s internal data records;
Staff, volunteers and trustees - Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance’s external data records;
Members, customers, clients.
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance as a body is a DATA CONTROLLER under the Act, and the Bishop’s Council is ultimately responsible for the policy’s implementation.
Internal Data Records
Purposes
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance obtains personal data (names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses), application forms, and references and in some cases other documents from staff, volunteers and trustees. This data is stored and processed for the following purposes:
- Managing the day to day running of the diocese and delivery of services
- Recruitment
- Equal Opportunities monitoring
- Volunteering opportunities
- To distribute relevant organisational material e.g. meeting papers
- Payroll
Access
The contact details of staff, volunteers and trustees will only made available to other staff, volunteers and trustees. Any other information supplied on application will be kept in a secure filing cabinet and is not accessed during the day to day running of the organisation.
- Contact details of staff, volunteers and trustees will not be passed on to anyone outside the organisation without their explicit consent.
- Staff, volunteers and trustees will be supplied with a copy of their personal data held by the organisation if a request is made.
- All confidential post must be opened by the addressee only.
Accuracy
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance will take reasonable steps to keep personal data up to date and accurate. Personal data will be stored for 6 years after an Office holder, employee, volunteer or trustee has worked for the organisation and brief details may be retained for longer (see Appendix A) Unless the organisation is specifically asked by an individual to destroy their details it will normally keep them on file for future reference. The CEO has responsibility for destroying personnel files.
Storage
Personal data is kept in paper-based systems and on a password-protected computer system. Every effort is made to ensure that paper-based data are stored in organised and secure systems.
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance operates a clear desk policy at all times – this means that no personal data will be left on unattended desks.
Use of Photographs
Where practicable, Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance will seek consent from individuals before displaying photographs in which they appear. If this is not possible (for example, a large group photo), the organisation will remove any photograph if a complaint is received. This policy also applies to photographs published on the organisation’s website or in the Newsletter.
External Data Records
Purposes
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance obtains personal data (such as names, addresses, and phone numbers) from members/clients. This data is obtained, stored and processed solely to assist staff and volunteers in the efficient running of services. Personal details supplied are only used to send material that is potentially useful. Most of this information is stored on the organisation’s database known as Worthers CMS.
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance obtains personal data and information from clients and members in order to provide services. This data is stored and processed only for the purposes outlined in the agreement and service specification signed by the client/ member.
Consent
Personal data is collected over the phone and using other methods such as e-mail. During this initial contact, the data owner is given an explanation of how this information will be used. Written consent is not requested as it is assumed that the consent has been granted when an individual freely gives their own details.
Personal data will not be passed on to anyone outside the organisation without explicit consent from the data owner unless there is a legal duty of disclosure under other legislation, in which case the Director will discuss and agree disclosure with the Chair/ Vice Chair. Contact details held on the organisation’s database may be made available to groups/ individuals outside of the organisation. Individuals are made aware of when their details are being collected for the database and their verbal or written consent is requested.
Access
Only the organisation’s staff, volunteers and trustees will normally have access to personal data. All staff, volunteers and trustees are made aware of the Data Protection Policy and their obligation not to disclose personal data to anyone who is not supposed to have it.
Information supplied is kept in a secure filing, paper and electronic system and is only accessed by those individuals involved in the delivery of the service.
Information will not be passed on to anyone outside the organisation without their explicit consent, excluding statutory bodies e.g. the Inland Revenue.
Individuals will be supplied with a copy of any of their personal data held by the organisation if a request is made.
All confidential post must be opened by the addressee only.
Accuracy
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance will take reasonable steps to keep personal data up to date and accurate. Personal data will be stored for as long as the data owner/ client/ member uses our services and normally longer. Where an individual ceases to use our services and it is not deemed appropriate to keep their records, their records will be destroyed or deleted according to the schedule in Appendix A. However, unless we are specifically asked by an individual to destroy their details, we may keep them on file for future reference.
If a request is received from an organisation/ individual to destroy their records, we will remove their details from the database and request that all staff holding paper or electronic details for the organisation destroy them. This work will be effected by the Information Officer.
This procedure applies if Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance is informed that an organisation ceases to exist.
Storage
Personal data may be kept in paper-based systems and on a password-protected computer system. Paper-based data are stored in organised and secure systems.
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance operates a clear desk policy at all times – this means that no personal data will be left on unattended desks.
Use of Photographs
Where practicable, Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance will seek consent of members/ individuals before displaying photographs in which they appear. If this is not possible (for example, a large group photo), the organisation will remove any photograph if a complaint is received. This policy also applies to photographs published on the organisation’s website or in the Newsletter.
Disclosure and Barring Service
Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance will act in accordance with the DBS’s code of practice.
Copies of disclosures are kept for no longer than is required. In most cases this is no longer than 6 months in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice. There may be circumstance where it is deemed appropriate to exceed this limit e.g. in the case of disputes.
Responsibilities of staff, volunteers and trustees
During the course of their duties with Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance, staff, volunteers and trustees will be dealing with information such as names/addresses/phone numbers/e-mail addresses of members/clients/volunteers. They may be told or overhear sensitive information while working for Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance. The Data Protection Act (1988) gives specific guidance on how this information should be dealt with. In short to comply with the law, personal information must be collected and used fairly, stored safely and not disclosed to any other person unlawfully. Staff, paid or unpaid, must abide by this policy.
To help staff, volunteers, trustees meet the terms of the Data Protection Act, the attached Data Protection/Confidentiality Statement has been produced. Staff, volunteers and trustees are asked to read and sign this statement and return it to Julie Jones at St Mary’s House, The Close, Lichfield WS13 7LD to say that they have understood their responsibilities.
Compliance
Compliance with the Act is the responsibility of all staff, paid or unpaid. Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance will regard any unlawful breach of any provision of the Act by any staff, paid or unpaid, as a serious matter which will result in disciplinary action. Any Office Holder who breaches this policy statement will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure which may result in dismissal for gross misconduct. Any such breach could also lead to criminal prosecution.
Any questions or concerns about the interpretation or operation of this policy statement should in the first instance be referred to the line manager.
Retention of Data
No documents will be stored for longer than is necessary. For guidelines on retention periods see the Data Retention Schedule (Appendix A).
All documents containing personal data will be disposed of securely in accordance with the Data Protection principles.