Anglican Diocese of Leeds

Review and 2010 report

The Dioceses Commission (as established in a new form in 2008), began its review of the dioceses of Yorkshire (York, Ripon & Leeds, Wakefield, Sheffield and Bradford) on the 2009 recommendation of the House of Bishops. The review group considered the best ways for the Church of England in Yorkshire to serve the Church's mission to those communities. The group quickly decided that the dioceses of York and of Sheffield would need little adjustment, so focused on the dioceses in West Yorkshire and The Dales.

In its first report, published December 2010, the Commission suggested one large diocese covering the area currently covered by the dioceses of Ripon & Leeds, of Wakefield and of Bradford, but divided into five episcopal areas, each with an area bishop (using the "area model" used elsewhere, e.g. the Diocese of London). Additionally, one of those five area bishops would also be the diocesan bishop over the new diocese. The five areas (and bishops) suggested were based on considerations including civic communities and established foci of local church activity. Those areas are: Ripon, Wakefield, Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield. Creating this diocese and area system would involve completely dissolving the existing diocesan sees, renaming the two existing suffragan sees and creating a new diocesan see and two more suffragan sees.

The Archdeaconry of Richmond would expand into the current Archdeaconry of Craven (Diocese of Bradford) and be renamed the Archdeaconry of Richmond and Craven, and would form the episcopal area of Ripon, while the Archdeaconry of Halifax would form the episcopal area of Huddersfield. The Leeds episcopal area would consist the Archdeaconry of Leeds, the Bradford area the Archdeaconry of Bradford and the Wakefield area the Archdeaconry of Pontefract.

In the 2010 report, a newly created Bishop of Wakefield would have been the diocesan bishop, and the diocese called the Diocese of Wakefield. Wakefield Cathedral would have been the "principal cathedral", while Bradford and Ripon Cathedrals would have remained as cathedrals of the diocese, with "seat[s] of honour" for their respective area bishops. The current colleges of the cathedrals would merge into one diocesan college, with the Dean of Wakefield as Dean and the Deans of Bradford and of Ripon would become Vice-Deans of that college.

Draft scheme

Following extensive consultation with the three dioceses and other interested parties, the Commission issued a second report and Draft Reorganisation Scheme in October 2011. The draft scheme featured a few alterations from the initial report:

It was announced on 28 September 2012 that the Commission had resolved, having considered all responses to its public consultation, to go ahead with the draft scheme, which will be discussed and voted upon at the three diocesan synods.

2013 diocesan votes and creation

The existing diocesan synods of the dioceses of Bradford, of Ripon and Leeds and of Wakefield voted on the proposed scheme on 2 March 2013. The Bradford and Ripon & Leeds diocesan synods voted in favour of the proposals, while Wakefield's did not; the scheme may go before the General Synod of the Church of England without all three dioceses' approval according to the discretion of the Archbishop of York. On 9 May 2013, the Archbishop announced that he had instructed the chair of the Diocese Commission to set the Draft Scheme before General Synod for consideration (i.e. debate and voting.)

The proposal was approved on 8 July 2013 by the General Synod. The new diocese was created on Easter Day, 20 April 2014, becoming the first new diocese in the Church of England since 1929 and the largest diocese in England by area, covering 2,425 square miles (6,280 km²) and 2.3 million people, served by 656 churches.

2017 deanery reorganisations

Effective 1 January 2017, several of the diocese's deaneries were reorganised. Among these were all the deaneries of the Bradford archdeaconry, which were entirely redrawn from five into four, and the deaneries of Bowland and of Ewecross (in Richmond and Craven archdeaconry), both of which had lost parishes in the diocese's formation, merged into one deanery (Bowland and Ewecross).

Organisation

The diocese (which was usually referred to, from 2014 until 14 July 2016 as the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales to reflect the geographical area it covers) is led by the Bishop of Leeds. There are five episcopal areas within the diocese, each led by an area bishop: Leeds, Ripon, Wakefield, Bradford and Huddersfield.

Bishop of Leeds

Once the three dioceses were dissolved by the scheme on 20 April 2014, the diocesan see of Leeds was newly constituted a diocesan see, whose incumbent, the Bishop of Leeds is bishop over the whole diocese generally and the Leeds episcopal area specifically. He has cathedrals at Ripon Cathedral, at Wakefield Cathedral, at Bradford Cathedral, and (if only and if he designates the minster as a pro-cathedral) at Leeds Minster.

It was announced on 8 November 2013 that retired Bishop of Southwark Tom Butler will serve as "mentor bishop" for the diocese prior to the first diocesan bishop taking post. During that period, Butler was also the interim area bishop in the Bradford area while the Bishop of Knaresborough was also interim area bishop in the Leeds area. It was further announced on 4 February 2014 that Nick Baines will be the first diocesan and area Bishop of Leeds; it was further announced on 15 April that Baines would be acting diocesan bishop and acting area bishop for Leeds from 22 April.

Bishop of Ripon

After the dissolution of the diocesan see of Ripon and Leeds, the suffragan see of Knaresborough was transferred by Order in Council to Ripon on 19 March 2015. The incumbent is the area bishop over the Ripon episcopal area; James Bell, then Bishop suffragan of Knaresborough, continued in post as the area bishop in the Ripon area and, until the diocesan bishop started acting as area bishop on 22 April, was additionally interim area bishop in the Leeds area.

Bishop of Wakefield

Following the dissolution of Wakefield diocese, the suffragan see of Pontefract was transferred by Order in Council to Wakefield on 19 March 2015. The incumbent is the area bishop over the Wakefield episcopal area; Tony Robinson, then Bishop suffragan of Pontefract, continued in post as the area bishop in the Wakefield area and, until a Bishop of Huddersfield was appointed, was also acting as interim area bishop in the Huddersfield area.

Bishop of Bradford

Once the diocesan see of the same name was dissolved, a new suffragan see of Bradford was created by the Scheme. The incumbent is the area bishop over the Bradford episcopal area; since the appointment of a new area bishop had to wait until the diocesan bishop was in post, the diocesan 'mentor bishop', Tom Butler, initially served as interim area bishop in the Bradford area. On 26 August 2014, it was announced that Toby Howarth was to become the first area bishop of Bradford; his consecration was held on 17 October.

Bishop of Huddersfield

The Scheme also created a new suffragan see of Huddersfield, whose incumbent is the area bishop over the Huddersfield episcopal area. Significant churches in the area include Huddersfield Parish Church, Halifax Minster and Dewsbury Minster. Since no new area bishop could be appointed until the diocesan bishop was in post, the Bishop of Pontefract also served as interim area bishop in the Huddersfield area. On 26 August 2014, it was announced that Jonathan Gibbs was to become the first area bishop of Huddersfield; his consecration was held on 17 October.

Bishop of Richmond

On 29 April 2015, the diocese announced that the See of Richmond would be revived for a suffragan bishop to assist the Bishop of Leeds in his area bishop duties. On 18 June it was announced that Paul Slater is to be consecrated to that See on 19 July.

Other bishops

Alternative episcopal oversight (for petitioning parishes in the diocese who reject the ministry of priests or bishops who are women) in the diocese is provided by Tony Robinson, Bishop of Wakefield.

At the first diocesan synod, two retired honorary assistant bishops were welcomed:

At the second diocesan synod, John Pritchard, retired Bishop of Oxford, was licensed as an honorary assistant bishop.

Immediately prior to the formation of the new diocese, there were four other retired honorary assistant bishops licensed in the three predecessor dioceses: