Christ Church Oxford: Governance Review

The Governing Body of Christ Church has resolved to commission a review of its governance. The purpose of the Review is to ensure that Christ Church’s statutes, by-laws, and governance arrangements meet the needs of the institution in the 21st century. The last comprehensive review of the foundation’s statutes was conducted in 2011. The Review will encompass the governance arrangements of all aspects of Christ Church, including the Cathedral, College, and School.

The Governing Body is seeking to appoint an independent Chair, who will, having consulted Governing Body, Chapter, and other parties, prepare a report setting out recommendations for the Governing Body to consider. The Chair will demonstrate appropriate knowledge of charity governance, an understanding of collegiate educational foundations, and ideally familiarity with the Church of England. They must have no current or recent connection with Christ Church.

At the conclusion of the Review, the Chair will be asked to prepare a report setting out recommendations for the Governing Body to consider. Christ Church has committed to publish the Review in full in 2023. The deadline for expressions of interest is 29 April 2022. A copy of the candidate brief is here. This states inter alia “the Review will be led by an independent person (the Chair) with appropriate knowledge of charity governance, an understanding of collegiate educational foundations and ideally familiarity with the Church of England…It is essential that the Chair has no current or recent connection with Christ Church”.

Comment

No comment.

Cite this article as: David Pocklington, "Christ Church Oxford: Governance Review" in Law & Religion UK, 8 April 2022, https://lawandreligionuk.com/2022/04/08/christ-church-oxford-governance-review/

5 thoughts on “Christ Church Oxford: Governance Review

  1. But who has authority to split the roles (head of house / cathedral dean) which is surely the necessary next, albeit complex, step? (with the bonus of making redundant the clause disapplying ecclesiastical measures to Christ Church…)

    • Indeed. But even if the ecclesiastical measures were disapplied, as a peculiar, would Christ Church still fall outwith the jurisdiction of the See of Oxford? Its peculiar status appears to be within the gift of Christ Church alone.

      • As I see it, the only way to split the roles would be for the College and the Cathedral to be separately chartered. The authority for this would be either the Privy Council or an Act of Parliament. The College would retain the ability to use the cathedral as their private chapel but the day to day running of the cathedral would then fall under the chapter. The cathedral could still remain as a royal peculiar or it could become part of diocese of Oxford.

        • Thanks. A more radical approach would be for the cathedra of the Bishop of Oxford to be moved to a major church elsewhere in the diocese, of which there are a number of options. Such a move would be outwith the deliberations of the College, but entirely within the gift of the Church.

  2. Pingback: Christ Church Oxford: response to Governance Review | Law & Religion UK

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