Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

59. Memorials to the Conference
Stationing do not provide clear guidance as
to the re-invitation procedure to be followed
when the initial view of the Circuit Invitation
Committee is to recommend an extension
period that differs from that requested by
the minister concerned. Clauses E12 and
E13 cover the ‘clear cut’ case but not the
above scenario.
The Circuit Meeting calls upon the
Conference to ask the Connexional
Stationing Committee to augment the
procedure so as to provide clear guidance
in such cases.
Reply
The Conference thanks the Falmouth and
Gwennap Circuit Meeting for its memorial.
The Stationing Committee reviews the
guidance Connexional Good Practice
for those involved in Stationing, now renamed
the Code of Practice, each year.
The Conference has been assured by the
Committee that it will take this request into
account during the next review.
The Conference directs the Stationing
Committee to report the outcome of this
work in its annual report to the Conference
of 2013.
It should be noted that the decision of
the Circuit Invitation Committee should
be discussed with the minister prior to
the Circuit Meeting (E12), which would
hopefully resolve any conflict. Should
this not resolve the situation it would be
normal practice for the Circuit Meeting to
consider any reasoned statement from the
minister. The Circuit Meeting may consider
an amendment to the recommendation
from the Circuit Invitation Committee,
which may be accepted or rejected.
Guidance on rules of debate can be found
in Standing Order 131.
M6 Stipends and Salaries for 2012/13
The Telford (28/21) Circuit Meeting
(Present: 50. Voting: 23 for, 12 against)
recognises that the Methodist Church seeks
to ensure that stipends and salaries paid to
its staff keep pace with the cost of living.
Stipends and salaries are the major
element of a circuit budget and the
assessments paid by its Local Churches.
Consequently, the Circuit Meeting wishes
to raise its concern that the current
method used to apply a cost of living
increase is difficult to support when the
general trend in both public and private
sectors is for the workforce to face a
minimal increase, a pay freeze or even
a pay cut. Pensioners are also suffering
adverse effects on their incomes and
resources.
Therefore the Circuit Meeting requests that
the Conference of 2012 considers capping
the stipends and salaries of all Methodist
Church staff for 2012/13 at the same
level as that paid in 2011/12 (excluding
those staff on the Living Wage).
Reply
The Conference thanks the Telford Circuit
Meeting for its memorial and assures the
Circuit that its concerns regarding stipend
and salary reviews have been taken into
account in the recommendations brought
to the Conference in the Connexional
Conference Agenda 2012 773