Number 21 of Class 2
- The General Assembly create the position of Public Engagement Coordinator. They declare that the Coordinator will be responsible for leading the Church’s public engagement. They further declare that the Coordinator will be appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Board of Trustees.
- The General Assembly establish a Public Engagement Group, under the Board of Trustees, with the following remit:
2.1 To establish ad-hoc committees, relating to particular areas of policy, as required which can prepare an initial draft response to consultations.
2.2 To establish a sounding body who will be asked for comments on proposed publications by email. The sounding body will include a representative from each home Presbytery, a representative of the Mission Board, a Member of the ETS Senate, and other representatives decided by the Public Engagement Group. The comments from the sounding body will be considered by the Public Engagement Group when approving the final response to ensure that the Group’s response to any issue is fairly representative of views across the Church.
2.3 To liaise with the Board of Trustees (or its executive) ahead of any publication, via the Chairman and CEO, to protect the institutional reputation of the Church.
2.4 To support Presbyteries or Kirk Sessions seeking to engage with Local Government, Health Boards, or other public bodies.
2.5 To work with and support the work of a Free Church Parliamentary Liaison Officer. - The General declare that the Membership of the Public Engagement Group will be appointed by the Board of Trustees in consultation with the Public Engagement Coordinator, and that Group will have a maximum of five members including the Public Engagement Coordinator ex officio, who will chair the Group and the Principal Clerk, ex officio, who will act as Clerk to the Group. They further declare that the Parliamentary Liaison Officer, ex officio, is appointed as an advisor to the Group.
- The General Assembly instruct the Board of Trustees to appoint a Free Church Parliamentary Liaison Officer in consultation with the Public Engagement Coordinator as soon as possible, to ensure appropriate influencing takes place and to assist in generating the work required by the committee. They declare that Parliamentary Liaison Officer position may be a voluntary, part-time position.