A parochial church council (PCC) is the executive committee of a Church of England parish and consists of clergy and churchwardens of the parish, together with representatives of the laity. It has its origins in the vestry committee, which looked after both religious and secular matters in a parish. It is a corporate charitable body. Legally the council is responsible for the financial affairs of the church parish and the maintenance of its assets, such as churches and church halls. It also assists the clergy in the management of church affairs in the parish, and promoting the mission of the church. History Until 1894, the vestry committee managed both the secular and religious business in a parish. The 1894 Local Government Act took away its secular duties and gave them to the newly-created civil Parish Councils. Church business continued to be managed by the vestry committee until 1921, when PCCs were created after the "Rules for the Representation of the Laity" was adopted in 1919 by the Convocations of Canterbury and York. Most of the remaining functions of vestry meetings of parishes, and of the churchwardens of parishes, which had not been transferred to civil local authorities were transferred to PCCs by the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1921. (Measures passed by the Church Assembly, now replaced by the General Synod of the Church of England, are given the force of law by Act of Parliament, the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919.) PCCs are constituted under the Church Representation Rules (Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969). Powers and duties The powers and duties of PCCs are laid down by the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956. They include the duty to co-operate with the minister (rector, vicar or priest in charge) "in promoting in the parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical." The PCC is responsible for the financial affairs of the church, and the care and maintenance of the church fabric and its contents, including demanding chancel repair liability, if applicable, from local property owners. These responsibilities are executed by churchwardens or other volunteers. The PCC also has a voice in the forms of service used by the church and may make representations to the bishop and deanery synod on matters affecting the welfare and pastoral care of the parish. The PCC is required to appoint a church electoral roll