FIVE out of eight members of staff at Bangor Cathedral are at risk of being made redundant or discontinued owing to “financial pressures”.
The posts at risk are two of the three lay clerks, the family minister, and sacrist. It is proposed that the fixed-term contract of the operations officer will not be renewed and that the director of music’s hours will also be reduced.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Bangor Cathedral said: “Due to financial pressures, the Chapter of Bangor Cathedral has begun a consultation process with employees regarding potential redundancies. The Cathedral Chapter was fully aware of and involved in the process. All relevant policies and procedures are being followed.”
The consultation follows a Visitation this year that uncovered concerns about “weak financial controls, unclear reporting lines, and spending decisions that were insufficiently scrutinised” (News, 3 May).
Among the issues raised in an earlier serious-incident report was the expenditure of £418,000 on new furniture for the cathedral, the bulk of the cost of which was borne by the Bangor Diocesan Board of Finance with “inadequate consultation and information”. In addition, the Dean and Chapter agreed to pay back to the DBF a sum which had been spent on trips abroad and should have been at their own expense.
In 2022, expenditure at the cathedral more than doubled, from £260,000 to almost £700,000. Total funds in 2023 stood at £1.1 million.
It is understood that the choir walked out of eucharist this Sunday morning after the anthem as an act of protest against the redundancies.
The new Dean, the Revd Dr Manon Ceridwen James, is due to be installed on 11 October (News, 18 July).
