Reference Documents - Status Change
Introduction
WCC is a charity registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). Scottish Charity No: SC015206.
WCC’s current legal form is an ‘Unincorporated Association’. WCC is currently planning to change its legal form to become a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). An incorporated charity has certain advantages over an unincorporated charity; for example it has a legal personality and the liability of the Charity Trustees is limited. The SCIO will not be part of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
OSCR lays down a process for changing from an Unincorporated Association to a SCIO, which involves the following 6 steps:
WCC is a charity registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). Scottish Charity No: SC015206.
WCC’s current legal form is an ‘Unincorporated Association’. WCC is currently planning to change its legal form to become a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). An incorporated charity has certain advantages over an unincorporated charity; for example it has a legal personality and the liability of the Charity Trustees is limited. The SCIO will not be part of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
OSCR lays down a process for changing from an Unincorporated Association to a SCIO, which involves the following 6 steps:
To begin this process, WCC needs to make some changes to its current constitution and to draw up a new constitution for the WCC SCIO. It also needs to consult with the Scottish Episcopal Church on certain aspects of the transition.
This page will be updated as WCC proceeds through the OSCR process, and relevant documents will be added as they become available.
Progress report
8 June 2019
Changes to the existing constitution and a constitution for the new SCIO have been agreed with the WCC leadership and vestry, and checked by the legal advisers. The congregation will be asked to vote on the changes to the existing constitution at two special members' meetings provisionally scheduled for Thursday 29 August and Thursday 3 October.
Update 6 /8/19: These dates have slipped; new dates have not yet been set.
9 July 2019
Changes to the existing constitution and the constitution for the new SCIO have been sent to the Diocese.
25 September 2019
The new SCIO Constitution was submitted to OSCR for approval.
31 January 2020
'Westhill Community Church SCIO' granted charitable status by OSCR. Scottish Charity No. SC049910
February 2021
Meetings were held with the Diocese in February 2020, at which both financial and legal aspects were discussed. Progress since then has been hampered by Covid restrictions. It is anticipated that a financial settlement can be reached soon, after which the legal aspects will be progressed.
15 April 2021
Information Session for WCC Members, via Zoom, to review progress. Two documents are available below:- an anticipated timeline for the transition
and an update to the document recommending changes to the WCC Constitution.
22 April 2021
A Special Meeting of WCC Members agreed the proposed financial settlement and ongoing commitments regarding use of the WCC site and building.
10 May 2021
A Special Meeting of WCC SCIO Members agreed ongoing commitments regarding use of the WCC site and building.
September 2021
A ‘Heads of Agreement’, which outlines the issues to be addressed in the detailed legal agreements between WCC/WCC SCIO and the Diocese, is being finalised.
Documents
This page will be updated as WCC proceeds through the OSCR process, and relevant documents will be added as they become available.
Progress report
8 June 2019
Changes to the existing constitution and a constitution for the new SCIO have been agreed with the WCC leadership and vestry, and checked by the legal advisers. The congregation will be asked to vote on the changes to the existing constitution at two special members' meetings provisionally scheduled for Thursday 29 August and Thursday 3 October.
Update 6 /8/19: These dates have slipped; new dates have not yet been set.
9 July 2019
Changes to the existing constitution and the constitution for the new SCIO have been sent to the Diocese.
25 September 2019
The new SCIO Constitution was submitted to OSCR for approval.
31 January 2020
'Westhill Community Church SCIO' granted charitable status by OSCR. Scottish Charity No. SC049910
February 2021
Meetings were held with the Diocese in February 2020, at which both financial and legal aspects were discussed. Progress since then has been hampered by Covid restrictions. It is anticipated that a financial settlement can be reached soon, after which the legal aspects will be progressed.
15 April 2021
Information Session for WCC Members, via Zoom, to review progress. Two documents are available below:- an anticipated timeline for the transition
and an update to the document recommending changes to the WCC Constitution.
22 April 2021
A Special Meeting of WCC Members agreed the proposed financial settlement and ongoing commitments regarding use of the WCC site and building.
10 May 2021
A Special Meeting of WCC SCIO Members agreed ongoing commitments regarding use of the WCC site and building.
September 2021
A ‘Heads of Agreement’, which outlines the issues to be addressed in the detailed legal agreements between WCC/WCC SCIO and the Diocese, is being finalised.
Documents
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Current WCC Constitution 2014 (pdf file) |
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Proposed changes to the current WCC Constitution (Jun 2019, pdf file) |
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Constitution of the new WCC SCIO (as submitted to OSCR, Jun 2019, pdf file) |
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Constitution of Westhilll Community Church SCIO Scottish Charity No. SC049910 (as approved by OSCR, Jan 2020, pdf file) |
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Anticipated timeline for transition (Apr 2021, pdf file) |
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Recommended changes to the current WCC Constitution (update, Apr 2021, pdf file) |
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