You can find a list of meeting dates for all boards, groups and committees here.
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.
Groups and Committees supporting the Bishops Council
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 Tom Brazier
- The Revd Mark Miller
- Keith Higgin
- Colin Price
- Michael Shepherd
- Frances Stenlake
- Margaret Vaughan(Chair)
The current members of the Investment Committee are:
- Paul Arnold
- Stephen Pickering
- Margaret Vaughan (Chair)
- Nigel Wyrley-Birch
- 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:
- Alice Ambrose-Thurman
- Paul Chandler
- David Craig
- Nigel Jackson
- Caroline Mulley (Chair)
- Archdeacon Bob Cooper (Chair)
- Archdeacon Rick Simpson
- Archdeacon Libby Wilkinson
- The Revd Canon Alec Harding
- The Revd Dave Tolhurst
Other Groups and Committees
- 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 Right Reverend Sarah Clark – Chair (ex officio as Bishop of Jarrow)
- The Dean of Durham - currently vacant but Philip Plyming to be appointed in September 2023 - (ex officio as Dean of Durham)
- The Venerable Libby Wilkinson (ex officio as one of two Archdeacons elected by and from the Archdeacons)
- The Venerable Rick Simpson (ex officio as one of two Archdeacons elected by and from the Archdeacons)
- The Venerable Bob Cooper (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 Paul Neville (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 Paul Hobbs (elected by the House of Clergy and House of Laity of Diocesan Synod)
- Mr James Hall (nominated by Bishop’s Council to secure a better reflection of the diocese as a whole on the Vacancy-in-See Committee)
- The Reverend Mary Yasini (nominated by Bishop’s Council to secure a better reflection of the diocese as a whole on the Vacancy-in-See Committee)
- Mrs Val Barron (nominated by Bishop’s Council to secure a better reflection of the diocese as a whole on the Vacancy-in-See Committee)
- Mrs Susan Brown (nominated by Bishop’s Council to secure a better reflection of the diocese as a whole on the Vacancy-in-See Committee)
Any representations to the committee should be made to Kate Martin