Our committees & groups

The Fabric Advisory Committee (FAC) is a group of ten independent advisors who are responsible to the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England (CFCE) and considers applications from the Chapter in regard to proposed development of and changes to the Cathedral’s fabric.  It also advises the Chapter on the care, conservation, repair and development of the Cathedral and meets three times a year.

The Dean, Surveyor of the Fabric, Consultant Archaeologist, Communar & Bursar and Clerk of Works attend meetings of the Committee and are entitled to speak but not to vote. Other Chapter members are free to attend if they wish.  

Over the course of the year the committee considered the development and progress on a number of key projects, as well as receiving the most recent quinquennial report. 

The Finance Committee formally meet four times a year but review the Cathedrals management accounts and financial performance more regularly. The committee has specific responsibilities in making recommendations to Chapter around investment decisions, setting of the annual budget, oversight of financial performance of the programming group, and the setting and monitoring of accounting and internal controls. 

The Committee consists of a Chair who must not be a member of the Chapter but who can be a member of the Finance Committee. Other Committee members are those with expertise in fields pertinent to the risks facing the Cathedral and is a mix of lay staff and non-executive members. The Dean, Communar and Bursar are able to attend these meetings but are not entitled to vote. Although being a relatively new committee, it has been busy rewriting the Cathedral’s risk register and had numerous meetings with partner organisations. 

This committee’s terms of reference are slightly wider than those required under the Cathedrals Measure 2021 and the skills of the Nominations Committee are incorporated into a wider remit to oversee lay staff recruitment, remuneration and benefits. Nominations form a subgroup of this wider committee. 

Comprises of the Cathedral Safeguarding Lead, Diocesan Safeguarding Lead, Chapter Safeguarding Lead, Head of HR and independent representatives with a background in safeguarding.  The Dean and Communar & Bursar are attendees to this meeting which convenes three times a year to support Chapter in setting the strategic direction of safeguarding for the Cathedral. 

The members of the College of Canons are 

1. the Dean, 
2. every suffragan bishop of the Diocese, 
3. every canon of the Cathedral, and 
4. every archdeacon of the Diocese. 

The College of Canons has the following functions:

1. to receive and consider the annual report and the audited accounts of the Cathedral; 
2. to discuss such matters concerning the Cathedral as may be raised by any of its members; 
3. at the request of the Bishop, to give advice to the Bishop on any matter affecting the Cathedral or the Diocese;  
4. to make provisions for its proceedings; and 
5. to perform such other functions as may be determined by the Chapter and the Bishop. 

The College of Canons meets formally once a year, every November.

Chapter always has one current Representative from the College of Canons as a non-executive trustee, serving on Chapter. This person is currently the Venerable Angela Martin.

The names of the appointed members of the College of Canons are listed in the Annual Accounts, and an up-to-date version may be found below:

Members of the College of Canons (correct as of 10.07.24)