The Archbishops' Council is a part of the governance structures of the Church of England. Its headquarters are at Church House, Great Smith Street, London.
The council was created in 1999 to provide a central executive body to co-ordinate and lead the work of the church. This was a partial implementation of the recommendations of the report "Working Together as One Body" produced by Michael Turnbull (then Bishop of Durham) in 1994.
The Archbishops’ Council has seven objectives.
1. A Younger Church: To double the number of children and young active disciples in the Church of England by 2030.
2. A More Diverse Church: To fully represent the communities we serve in age and diversity.
3. Revitalise Parishes: A parish system revitalised for mission so churches can reach and serve everyone in their community. 4. New Christian Communities: Creating 10,000 new Christian communities across the four areas of home, work / education, social and digital.
5. Missionary Disciples: All Anglicans envisioned, resourced, and released to live out the five marks of mission in the whole of life, bringing transformation to the Church and world. All local churches, supported by their dioceses, becoming communities and hubs for initial and ongoing formation.
6. Sustainability: A Church that cherishes God’s creation and leads by example in promoting sustainability.
7. Safety and Dignity: A Church that affirms the dignity of all people by being a safe place for all, especially children and vulnerable adults.
The Archbishops' Council was established by the National Institutions Measure passed by the General Synod of the Church of England in 1998.[1] It has its own legal identity and is, in addition, a charity.
The council is made up of:
The archbishops of Canterbury and York are the joint presidents of the council, but the Archbishop of Canterbury normally chairs its meetings.
The council is one of the "National Church Institutions";[2] the others include the Church Commissioners, the Church of England Pensions Board and the General Synod.
The work of the council is assisted by a number of committees:
In 2006, the council employed about 250 staff. The senior posts include:
The members of the council are also members and directors of the Central Board of Finance of the Church of England. Technically, the board of finance is a separate legal entity, however all major decisions are taken by members of the council in their capacity as the directors of the Board.
In 2006, the council had a budget of approximately £61 million, principally derived from the Church Commissioners (about £32 million) and contributions from each of the dioceses (£24.5 million).
Spending in that year included grants to the dioceses (£31 million), training clergy (both funding for colleges and allowances for individuals in residential training - £10 million), grants to organisation such as Churches Together, the Church Urban Fund and the World Council of Churches (£2.2 million), and housing assistance for retired clergy (£2.8 million).[3]