‘Super-diocese’ plan goes to synod

The synod of the diocese of Ripon and Leeds will vote on plans put forward by the Dioceses Commission to create a larger merged diocese covering West Yorkshire and a large part of North Yorkshire.

The new diocese would be led by a diocesan bishop in Wakefield and would be divided into five episcopal areas – Bradford, Huddersfield, Leeds, Ripon and Wakefield – each with its own area bishop and area council. Wakefield Cathedral would be the principal cathedral of the diocese.

The Bishop of Knaresborough, the Rt Rev James Bell, will propose the motion agreeing “in principle” with the proposal for a single diocese for west and north-west Yorkshire “to benefit the church’s mission”.

Amendments will be debated, including a call for the new diocese to be called Leeds, rather than Wakefield, and the diocesan bishop of the new area to be the Bishop of Leeds, not the Bishop of Wakefield. The synod will also discuss a call for a full financial risk analysis of the proposed changes.