On 25 November, the Governing Body of the Church in Wales agreed time-limited constitutional changes that would allow an interim Bishop to be appointed to the Diocese of Bangor. Members voted by 75 to 4 (with 7 abstentions) in favour of the proposal from the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd Cherry Vann, following last month’s announcement that the Electoral College in Bangor had not felt able to shortlist candidates for a new diocesan.

The interim appointment is intended to provide leadership and stability while work continues to strengthen governance, management, finance and diocesan structures in preparation for a future episcopal election. The amended motion extends the maximum expiration date of the arrangements to a month following the first ordinary Governing Body meeting in 2028.

Background

Prior to the meeting of the Governing Body, Archbishop Cherry outlined the background in a letter to the Diocese on 23 November 2025, in which she said inter alia:

“It is almost two months since Bishop Andy retired, and work has been taking place to  discern who should succeed him as Bishop of Bangor. The members of the Electoral  College have met twice in on-line meetings, diocesan and provincial profile documents have been produced and the vacancy advertised.

Several names were suggested and staff from the national team contacted each of them to invite them to allow their names to be considered.  Some of them did and, at their most recent meeting, the electors considered the information which they provided.

The electors were very grateful to each of them for allowing their names to be considered. However, carefully considering the challenges facing the diocese at this time (none of which were clearly identified in the diocesan profile), the College did not feel able to progress with the shortlisting of candidates”.

Agreed Motion

Details of the Agreed Motion and Explanatory Notes included in the report on Agenda Item 3. Extracts of Motion are reproduced below, (emphasis added) and the Explanatory Notes are here:

“The Governing Body of the Church in Wales resolves as follows:

1.) The Governing Body:

a) Discharges the Bishop’s Electoral College for the Diocese of Bangor summoned to meet at Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno on 25-27 November 2025;

b) Suspends the process for the election of a new Diocesan Bishop for the Diocese of Bangor until either (a) 1 January 2028 or (b) such earlier date as may be approved by resolution of the Standing Committee. Such date shall be deemed as the date the See of Bangor became vacant for the purposes of Chapter V of the Constitution and its associated Regulations);

c) Requests the Archbishop of Wales make appropriate provision for the discharge of the duties of the Bishop of Bangor during the extended vacancy in the See; and

d) Authorises the Archbishop of Wales to bestow the title ‘Interim Bishop of Bangor’ on a person in Episcopal Orders appointed as a Commissary of the Archbishop to act on the Archbishop’s behalf in the discharge of Episcopal duties in the See of Bangor. Such authorisation and title shall lapse automatically on the confirmation of the election of the next Bishop of Bangor;

(2) Where and whilst an individual holds the title ‘Interim Bishop of Bangor’:

a) Save as set out in this resolution, they shall hold all ex-officio appointments, trusteeships and rights of nomination, attendance, and appointment belonging to the Bishop of Bangor in right of the See;

b) They shall be treated for the purposes of Chapter II (and its associated Regulations) and Chapter IX of the Constitution as an Assistant Bishop serving in a full-time capacity and not as a Diocesan Bishop;

c) They shall be treated for the purposes of the Clergy Terms of Service Canon 2010 as an Assistant Bishop, and for the purposes of the Maintenance of Ministry Scheme as an Assistant Bishop serving in the Diocese of the Archbishop;

d) They shall not be eligible to be elected Archbishop of Wales;

e) They shall not be a member of the Provincial Synod of Bishops, nor of the Archbishop’s Electoral College or any Bishop’s Electoral College (unless eligible and elected as a Clerical Elector of a Diocese); and

f) All maximum age-limits and retirement ages in the Constitution (and in the Constitution of the Diocesan Conference) shall not apply to them.“

Comment

No names of potential candidates for the post appear to be in the public domain, either following the initial considerations or after the meeting of the  Governing Council Body. However, an article in the Church Times article (£) Church in Wales agrees to appointing Interim Bishop of Bangor observed: “Some of the names already put forward were retired bishops in the Church of England, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the Church of Ireland. Others were suffragan bishops in the C of E”.

Other than the requirement that the candidates are presently in episcopal orders, either retired or currently serving, there are no specific requirements; furthermore, the normal retirement age is not a criterion. Nevertheless, the interim bishop is expected to be: experienced in diocesan leadership;  familiar with Welsh church life with knowledge of the Church in Wales’ governance and challenges; and with the ability to provide stability – a pastoral and administrative leader who can guide Bangor through a transitional period.