THE General Synod took note of the Standing Orders Committee report, which included changes regarding the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC). It was introduced by Canon Joyce Jones (Leeds) on the Thursday morning.

Two items related to the process of electing central members to the CNC, to be elected in three pairs of clergy and and three of laity at a group of sessions. Members in the chamber last year had had difficulties in logging in to the online system and had to resort to paper ballot forms, which Clive Scowen (London) described as “a near catastrophe”.

Proposed amendments would enable the Business Committee to extend the time allowed for voting, both in the chamber and remotely, and allow for pairs of central members to be limited no longer to those members physically present at the group of sessions.

The Archbishop of York moved a series of items on how pairings would operate in particular circumstances. He acknowledged the complexity of these, something echoed by Canon Lisa Battye (Manchester): “This feels too complicated, coming out of a place of fear,” she said. With reference to Reform and Renewal’s emphasis on “tearing up old legislation”, she urged: “Keep it simple; revisit decisions made in view of the bureaucracy it entails.” Debbie Buggs (London) concurred: “Things have got very complicated. This was the best we could do.”

“The work of the CNC is confidential, but it means sometimes that speculation and fantasies about what goes on in is rife in our Church,” Archbishop Cottrell concluded. “I value and appreciate central members for the godly and prayerful way they go about their business.”

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