61. Majority required for decisions

(1) Subject to any statutory requirements and to standing order 56, decisions of the synod, when no separate vote is taken by each of the houses, shall require the votes of the majority of all the members of the synod present and voting.

(2) Subject to any statutory requirements and to standing orders 56 and 57, decisions of the synod, when no separate vote is taken by each of the houses, shall require the votes of the majority of all the members of each house present and voting

62. Equal voting in house of bishops

Where there is an equal division of votes in the house of bishops, the president shall have a second or casting vote.

63. Opinion of president

The president shall have a right to require that his opinion on any question shall be recorded in the minutes.

64. Voting rights of chairman

The chairman (subject to the rights of the president when he is chairman) shall have the same voting rights as other members and shall have no second or casting vote.

65. Mode of voting

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the chairman on putting any question to the vote shall take a show of hands, the result of which as announced by him shall be conclusive, and may at his discretion order the hands to be counted, and shall do so on a vote by houses.

(2) The standing committee may in the case of any question determine that the vote (whether or not by houses) shall be taken by ballot. In that case the ballot shall be conducted in such manner as the standing committee may direct, and subject thereto the administrative arrangements for the ballot shall be made by the secretary under the direction of the chairman.

66. Requests for separate voting

Where —

(a) the president requires, or any 10 members require, a separate vote of each house, or
(b) the president gives a direction under standing order 57,

such requirement or direction shall be made or given before the question is put or immediately on the announcement of the result of a show of hands, whether counted or not, or of a ballot.

67. Procedure for count of hands

The counting of hands on a separate vote of each house shall be conducted in accordance with instructions issued from time to time by the standing committee, and subject thereto the administrative arrangements for each count shall be made by the secretary under the direction of the chairman.

QUESTIONS

68. To whom addressed

(1) Subject to due notice under standing order 24, a question may be asked of —

(a) any officer of the synod referred to in these standing orders;
(b) the chairman of any body referred to in standing order 77.

(2) The person asked may, without reason given refuse to answer the question.

(3) A member may ask up to two original questions at any one meeting, and a member who has asked a question may ask one supplementary question in respect of each original decision.

69. Content

(1) A question, if addressed to an officer, must relate to the duties assigned to him and, if addressed to the chairman of a body, to the business of that body.

(2) Questions may not ask for an expression of opinion or for the solution of either an abstract legal question or a hypothetical problem, and must be otherwise in order.

70. Persons authorised to reply

If the person of whom the question is asked is a member or officer of the synod, he shall reply personally and, if not, the reply may be given by one of its member nominated by the president:

Provided that —

(a) the president may instruct the secretary to reply on his behalf;
(b) a member who is absent may authorise another member to deputise for him.

THE STANDING COMMITTEE

71. Composition of standing committee

The standing committee of the synod shall consist of —

(a) ex officio members —

the president;
the archdeacon;
the proctor elected from the diocese to the lower house of the Convocation of the province of York;
the member elected from the diocese to the house of laity of the General Synod;
the diocesan registrar;
the chairman of the house of clergy of the synod;
the chairman of the house of laity of the synod;
the chairman of the diocesan board of finance;
(b) the following persons elected from among the members of the synod —

three members of the house of clergy
three members of the house of laity.
72. Elections to standing committee

The elected members of the standing committee shall be elected by the house of which each is a member, as soon as practicable after the beginning of the term of 3 years referred to in rule [31] of the Church Representation Rules, and shall retire on the election of their successors or on ceasing to be qualified.

73. Chairman

The president shall be chairman of the standing committee and, in his absence, a member of the committee elected by the members present shall be chairman.

74. Functions

The functions of the standing committee shall be —

(a) to plan the business of the synod, to prepare the agenda for its meetings, and to circulate to members information about matters for discussion;
(b) to initiate proposals for action by the synod and to advise it on matters of policy which are placed before it;
(c) to advise the president on any matters which he may refer to the committee;
(d) subject to the directions of the synod, to transact the business of the synod when it is not in session;
(e) to appoint members of committee or nominate members for election to committees, subject to the directions of the synod;
(f) to carry out such other functions as the synod may delegate to it.

OTHER COMMITTEES

75. Statutory committees

The synod shall establish such committees or other bodies as may be required by law with such membership, functions and procedure as may be provided in the relevant statutory provisions.

76. Other committees

The synod may at any time constitute such other committees or other bodies as in the opinion of the synod are necessary or desirable, and may delegate to a committee or other body so constituted, with or without conditions, such functions of the synod as it thinks fit.

GENERAL PROVISIONS AS TO COMMITTEES ETC.

77. Application of provisions

(1) Except so far as any statutory provision, resolution of the synod or standing order otherwise provides, standing orders 78 to 92 apply to the following bodies (so far as applicable), and references to a committee shall be construed accordingly:

(a) the standing committee;
(b) the legislative committee;
(c) the vacancy in see committee;
(d) any committee or other body referred to in standing order 75;
(e) any committee or other body established by the synod under standing order 76.

(2) Except as aforesaid, standing orders 81 to 84 and 86 (so far as applicable) apply also to the following bodies, and references to a committee shall be construed accordingly:

(a) the Church Commissioners for the Isle of Man;
(b) the Sodor and Man Diocesan Board of Finance.
78. Membership of committees

(1) The standing committee shall determine the number of the members of a committee and whether they shall be appointed or elected.

(2) A committee may include persons who are not members of the synod:

Provided that, in the case of a committee to whom functions are delegated under standing order 76 —

(a) a majority of the members shall be members of the synod;
(b) the president or the archdeacon shall be a member.
79. Duration of membership

The standing committee may at any time dissolve a committee or alter the number of its members or its composition, and shall determine the term of office of its members.

80. Sub-committees

Every committee may appoint sub-committees for such purposes as it thinks fit.