Cathedral Fabric, Finances and Staff Well-Being All on Chapter’s Agenda

The Chapter of Wakefield Cathedral held its latest meeting on Wednesday 04 September 2024.

As the board of trustees of the cathedral, the Chapter is responsible for overseeing the way the cathedral is run. The group of 12 trustees includes the Dean as Chair, the residentiary canons, plus eight elected or appointed members.

On the agenda this time were a ‘deep dive’ into fabric matters, and feedback from the recent staff well-being survey as well as regular reports on finances and safeguarding.

The cathedral architect, John Bailey, was a guest at the meeting. He reported on the various repairs and restoration needs of the cathedral building and its associated structures, which are essential and which need substantial funding, not least because costs continue to rise. Chapter’s discussion focused on the importance of looking to the future, as well as preserving past heritage. We need better facilities to achieve our future sustainable strategy as a living building for the mission of God. Considerable consultation was needed, not only with the cathedral communities, but also the City of Wakefield and the Diocese of Leeds, to identify what the future needs might be and how they might be met. That includes steps towards carbon net zero, such as investigating the possibility of installing solar panels.

The results of a recent survey of staff were presented to Chapter. These showed marked improvement over last year in staff’s perceptions of how they are managed, communication between them and understanding of where they fit in delivering the cathedral’s mission. A staff awayday, planned to take place in November, will enable staff to further explore how they work together. Chapter members, as well as the clergy, will be responsible for running day-to-day matters on the cathedral floor, to enable staff to attend this off-site meeting.

The regular financial report, brought to Chapter from the Finance Committee, shows that the cathedral is still heading for a deficit of about £88,000 by the end of 2024. This is slightly smaller than previously forecast, largely because of some unexpected donations and a legacy. One of the major areas of work to increase cathedral income is the drive to increase the number and range of events held at the cathedral – which has the added benefit of bringing new people into our building.

Chapter paid tribute to Canon Derek Walmsley, recently retired as residentiary canon, and heard that a new residentiary canon is being sought, who will also carry out the role of Lay Training Officer for the Diocese of Leeds. Chapter also congratulated Rachel Copley on her appointment as Chief Operating Officer.