LAY MEMBER of CHAPTER
Background Information
Wells
Situated on the edge of the Mendip Hills in the County of Somerset, Wells is England’s smallest city
built around the beautiful Cathedral of Saint Andrew. Its picturesque surroundings include a quaint
market square and high street, the Bishop’s Palace and the magnificent Vicars Close, Europe’s oldest
continuously inhabited street.
The Cathedral
Wells Cathedral deservedly has gained an enviable reputation for its lovingly maintained Gothic
architecture, its world class music, and its ministry of welcome to some 250,000 visitors each year as
well as around 150,000 people who come to the Cathedral for services, concerts, lectures etc.
Underpinning the Cathedral is a diverse organisation whose responsibilities cover worship, music,
fabric and property maintenance virgers, library, archive, education, outreach, finance, HR,
administration, volunteer management and trading companies. The Cathedral’s income comes from
several sources: entry donations and other voluntary income; property and investments; event facility
fees and its commercial trading activities, currently a shop and catering businesses.
More details may be found on the Cathedral’s website: http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk
Governance
Under the Cathedrals Measure 1999, the body corporate of a cathedral is formed of the Chapter, the
Cathedral Council and the College of Canons.
The Chapter
The Chapter is the executive body of the Cathedral. It is the Cathedral’s main decision making body
and has the task of administering the affairs of the cathedral. Chaired by the Dean, the Chapter of
Wells Cathedral is formed of five clergy and four lay members. The Cathedral Administrator is one lay
member, who as a full time employee of the Cathedral is its CEO. The other three lay members are
volunteers. These roles are explained in more detail in this document.
Cathedral Council
The Council meets at least twice a year to further and support the work of the cathedral and advise
the Chapter. Its membership consists of representatives of various other cathedral bodies and from
the Diocese and wider community.
College of Canons
The College of Canons consists of the members of Chapter, the Bishop of Taunton, archdeacons and
honorary and lay canons. The College meets at least once a year to consider cathedral affairs. It also
has the task of electing a new bishop.
More details can be found on the Cathedral’s website and, for a general background at:
http://www.englishcathedrals.co.uk/cathedrals/about-cathedrals/how-is-it-administered/
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LAY MEMBER of CHAPTER
Strategic Development Programme
The vast majority of the cathedral's efforts goes into its day to day operations in the diverse areas
described above. The Cathedral also has adopted a Strategic Development Programme (SDP), which
focuses on five themes:
 Diversifying Mission, Usage and Visitors’ Experience
 Partnerships, Relationships and Networks
 Fabric and the Estate
 People, Structures and Communication
 Retaining and Increasing Resources
The most urgent activities in this are:
 The Visitor Income Project (VIP) to address the need to increase the Cathedral's revenue
from its many visitors including tourists, and
 The Vicars' Close Heritage Programme (VCHP) to conserve and open up the cultural and
architectural heritage of what is believed to be the longest continuously inhabited street in
Europe.
Future projects include work to:
 Secure the Cathedral’s world-class musical reputation for the future
 Increase usage and understanding of the Cathedral in its service of the mission of God
 Conserve the statuary of the West Front
 Refurbish or replace the Organ
 Improve the link between the West Front and the Cathedral Green.
Lay Members of Chapter
The three existing Lay Members all reach the end of their current three-year terms in Summer 2015
and the Cathedral wishes to appoint suitable individuals to take on the required duties and
responsibilities. The 'normal' term of office is three years.
Duties as Members of Chapter
The role of the Chapter’s three voluntary Lay Members is set in the context of best practice in the
governance of cathedrals. This means that inter alia competence for all three is required in four areas:
 Strategic planning
 Performance Monitoring
 Risk Management & Compliance
 Stakeholder Management
These are expanded in the main duties and responsibilities below.
Specific Experience Sought
In line with the focus of the SDP, specific experience is desired in one of the three following
disciplines:
 Visitor Services
 Fundraising
 Estate Management, with particular reference to heritage.
These will enable the respective Lay Member to contribute strongly to the VIP and/or the VCHP.
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LAY MEMBER of CHAPTER
Role Description
KEY PURPOSE OF POST:
To be an active and integral part of the Cathedral’s governance structure as members of Chapter.
LOCATION: Wells Cathedral, Wells, BA5 2PA
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. As a member of Chapter take corporate governance responsibility for
2.
3.
4.
5.
a. Strategic Planning
i. Develop and agree the long-term strategy for the Cathedral
ii. Establish and periodically review the Cathedral’s vision, mission and values
iii. Set short, medium and long term goals
iv. Agree operational plans and budgets
b. Performance Monitoring
i. Ensure solvency and financial strength
ii. Monitor progress and spending against plan and budget
iii. Evaluate results, assess outcomes and impact
iv. Hold executive/operational managers to account in the implementation of
Chapter’s strategic decisions
c. Risk Management & Compliance
i. Take a considered, proportionate and balanced approach to risk management
ii. Ensure compliance with legislation and regulation
d. Stakeholder Management
i. Communicate openly, informing people about the Cathedral and its work
ii. Listen and respond to the views of congregations, communities, supporters,
funders, and other users with an interest in the cathedral’s work
iii. Consider the Cathedral’s responsibilities to the wider community.
Meeting attendance
a. Formal Chapter meetings which occur once a month apart from in August (typically 23 hours long)
b. Meetings between Chapter and the wider management team – 3 a year ( 2hours)
c. Annual Chapter “away day”
d. Annual meetings with each of the four “Groups” in the organisation (each 3 hours
max)
e. College of Canons – annual meeting (2 hours max)
f. Other Cathedral committees as agreed, possibly including the board(s) of the
Cathedral’s trading companies
Involvement, as agreed, in specific projects and/or programmes including those that are part of
the Cathedral’s Strategic Development Programme
Attendance at a limited number of formal liturgical occasions, e.g. Legal Service
Overall this will mean a commitment of the equivalent of 2 days per month, depending on
precise responsibilities taken.
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LAY MEMBER of CHAPTER
Person Specification
Key Criteria
Qualifications and
Experience
 Full member of a Christian church and in sympathy with aims of the Cathedral
 An understanding of the contemporary context of the mission of the Church
 Strategic experience at Board level
 Experience (desirable) in one of the following areas:
o Visitor Services (e.g. customer management within heritage or other tourist
attraction, retail/catering)
o Fundraising (including sponsorship, capacity building, application for grants and
other sources of income)
o Estate Management (knowledge and experience of the challenges in
maintaining / managing / promoting heritage and other property)
 Degree or equivalent
Skills and Abilities
 Ability to read and understand financial reports, balance sheets and budgets
 Demonstrable understanding of risk management and compliance
 High level management / business / commercial experience Stakeholder
management
 Project or Programme Management
Work-related
Personal Qualities
 Organised mind and flexible time commitment
 Ability to listen, to identify the salient issues and contribute to discussion with
confidence
 Ability to reflect prayerfully and contribute something of personal wisdom
 Ability to think strategically, to evaluate and communicate proposals succinctly
 Patience, tact and discretion
Expenses
This is a voluntary post and so there is no remuneration, other than reasonable working expenses
which will be met in line with Cathedral policy.
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