Boards, Groups and Committees

The Durham Diocesan Synod is the representative governing body of the Diocese of Durham. Through Diocesan Synod members of the Church of England in Durham work together to take forward the mission and ministry of the Church. In it, Bishops, priests and lay people meet together to discuss the issues facing the Church and to make decisions about its common future. Read more about Diocesan Synod and its membership 

The Bishops Council also serves as Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee (DMPC) and Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) ie membership is co-terminous across the three bodies. Read more about the functions of the Bishops Council and its membership.

The DSAP oversees safeguarding arrangements in the Diocese. It has an independent chair, Mark Gurney. DSAP offers external expertise and challenge to the Diocese on safeguarding matters. It is advised by the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, Beth Miller.

The Finance Groups roles are:

• to support and advise the Bishop’s Council, the Bishop of Durham and Diocesan Secretary in matters relating to strategic financial management and policy
• to conduct urgent financial business of the Durham Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) between meetings
• to authorise legal property or investment transactions conducted on the DBF’s behalf by the Chair or Executive Officers of the DBF
• to oversee the preparation of the annual diocesan budget and the accounts for the year past for submission to the DBF
• to receive and assess regular reports of expenditure and income against budget to act as the DBFs Human Resources Committee

The members of the Finance Group are:

• The Revd Mark Miller
• Keith Higgin
• Colin Price
• Frances Stenlake
• Margaret Vaughan(Chair)

The Investment Committees role is to manage the Durham Diocesan Board of Finances (DBF) investments according to the DBFs investment policy (including ethical investment) with a view to maximising returns to support diocesan activities; to undertake the role of Houses Committee and Glebe Committee. 

The current members of the Investment Committee are:

• Paul Arnold
• Stephen Pickering
• Margaret Vaughan (Chair)
• Nigel Wyrley-Birch
• The Revd David Brooke

The ARCs role is to:

• maintain an oversight of the dioceses governance and risk management
• oversee the external audit of the Durham Diocesan Board of Finances (DBF) Trustees Report and Financial Statements
• consider internal control and stewardship of the DBFs resources
• reports its findings annually to the Bishops Council

The ARC has no executive powers or operational responsibilities/duties.

The members of the ARC are:

• Paul Chandler
• David Craig
• Caroline Mulley (Chair)

The Closed Churches Uses Panel seeks alternative uses for redundant churches. The CCUPs members are:

• Archdeacon Katherine Bagnall
• Archdeacon Rick Simpson
• Archdeacon Libby Wilkinson
• Stephen Pickering
• The Revd Dave Tolhurst

This is a joint Board with the Diocese of Newcastle. For more information about its role and membership, visit its separate website. 
 

The Vacancy in See Committee is a statutory committee, which has a permanent existence but only meets during a vacancy in see, i.e. when there is a vacancy in the diocesan bishopric.

The role of the Vacancy in See Committee is: to prepare a brief description of the Diocese and a statement setting out the desired profile of the new Bishop and to elect the diocesan representatives to the Crown Nominations Commission.

The Vacancy in See Committee has a mixture of ex officio, nominated and elected members as follows:

• The Bishop of Jarrow
• The Very Revd Dr Philip Plyming (ex officio as Dean of Durham)
• The Venerable Libby Wilkinson (ex officio as one of two Archdeacons elected by and from the Archdeacons)
• The Archdeacon of Auckland (ex officio as one of two Archdeacons elected by and from the Archdeacons)
• The Venerable Katherine Bagnall(ex officio as an elected clergy member of General Synod)
• The Reverend Mark Mawhinney (ex officio as an elected clergy member of General Synod)
• The Reverend Mark Miller (ex officio as an elected clergy member of General Synod)
• The Reverend Chantal Noppen (ex officio as an elected clergy member of General Synod)
• The Reverend Canon Dave Tolhurst (ex officio as an elected clergy member of General Synod)
• Mr Ali Bianchi (ex officio as an elected member of the House of Laity of General Synod)
• Dr Angus Goudie (ex officio as an elected member of the House of Laity of General Synod
• Canon Dr Jamie Harrison (ex officio as an elected member of the House of Laity of General Synod)
• Mrs Helen Smith (ex officio as an elected member of the House of Laity of General Synod)
• The Reverend Canon Steph Clark (ex officio as Chair of the House of Clergy of Diocesan Synod)
• Mrs Frances Stenlake (ex officio as Chair of the House of Laity of Diocesan Synod)
• The Reverend Ian Somasundram (elected by the House of Clergy and House of Laity of Diocesan Synod)
• The Reverend Matt Tarling (elected by the House of Clergy and House of Laity of Diocesan Synod)
• Canon Margaret Vaughan (elected by the House of Clergy and House of Laity of Diocesan Synod)
• Mr James Hall (nominated by Bishop’s Council)
• The Reverend Mary Yasini (nominated by Bishop’s Council)
• Mrs Val Barron (nominated by Bishop’s Council)
• Mrs Susan Brown (nominated by Bishop’s Council)

Any representations to the committee should be made to Kate Martin

Read more about the DAC and its membership in the Buildings section.