From Deidre Morris
Sir, - May I correct two matters of fact in Canon Ian Gaskell's
response (Letters, 28
September) to my letter (21 September)
about the Dioceses Commission?
The Wakefield diocesan synod on 5 May (not April) 2011 voted on
a number of motions. The third was: "This Synod welcomes the
proposal that the See City should be Wakefield, and the Diocesan
Bishop should be Bishop of Wakefield."
Voting figures were: For: 3; Against: 48; Abstensions: 15.
Clearly, from the outset, there was no welcome for this idea, as
asserted by Canon Gaskell, but an overwhelming rejection of the
proposal.
The five diocesan offices in Yorkshire are not within 35 miles
of each other, since it is more than 40 miles from York to the
Bradford office, which is in Steeton, just north of Keighley -
moved there some years ago to make it more central to those it
serves. The Sheffield office, in Rotherham, is more than 50 miles
from Steeton, and more than 45 miles from York (shortest distances
available on the AA routefinder).
In the Midlands, the offices of Lichfield, Birmingham, and
Coventry dioceses are all within 30 miles of each other; so should
their reorganisation also be being considered?
DEIDRE MORRIS
263 Park Lodge Lane
Wakefield
West Yorkshire WF1 4HY