We are offering these policy templates to assist you with registering with the Charity Commission and with fundraising applications. The templates offered here should be seen as guides for your own decision-making and consideration. Please take care to read them in detail, customize them to your own situation and agree their implementation at PCC level.
While we hope these will be useful, it is in no way suggested that any or all of them represent a full and complete compliance with regulatory guidance or the law.
Charity Commission
When registering with the Charity Commission, you are asked to tick whether or not the charity has each of the following policies or policy statements:
1. Risk management statement
If your PCC is above the audit threshold (>£500k income), the statement which already appears on your Annual Financial Statement is adequate.
If not, you are not required to have this statement.
2. Investment /reserves policy
The text which is already composed, agreed and included within the Trustees Report/Annual Financial Statement is adequate.
Click here to download further guidance on Reserves Policies from the national Church of England.
3. Safeguarding Vulnerable Beneficiaries policy
Refer to the policies developed and implemented under the Diocesan SQP procedures.
4. Conflict of Interests policy
Click to download a template.
5. Volunteer Management policy
Refer to the safeguarding policies under SQP which relate to recruitment and supervision of volunteers.
6. Complaints handling policy
Click to download a template.
7. Remuneration of staff
If you are an employer PCC, click to download guidance from the NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) for developing this policy.
If not, this is not required.
Funders
Grant funding bodies may additionally ask for:
8. Equal Opportunities
This template is a relatively short document which you may wish to expand.
9. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
This policy based on a template from ACAS may serve as an alternative Equal Opportunities policy.
10. Anti-bullying and harassment policy
Click here to download a suggested template relating to volunteer roles.
This second downloadable template is the Anti-Bullying Policy in operation within Chichester Diocese.
Employment
When becoming an employer, a PCC may need to put in place HR policies:
1. Contracts and Pay
2. Disciplinary and Greivance
3. Equal Opportunities
4. Ex-offender recruitment
5. Family friendly policy
6. Flexible working
7. Lone working
8. Anti-bullying and Harassment
9. Holiday and Absence
10. Leaving, dismissal and retirement
11. Whistleblowing
12. Sickness and absence
13. Smoking, drugs and alcohol policy
Click to download a zip-file of template documents for these HR policies.
Safeguarding
All PCCs are required to have in place appropriate policies relating to Safeguarding, meeting the requirements of the Simple Quality Protects framework under the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. Refer to our Safeguarding pages for further information.