Residence of the Bishop of Bath and Wells
The Petition of residents of the UK,
Declares that the Petitioners believe that the Church Commissioners’ decision to move the Bishop of Bath and Wells from the Bishop’s Palace and Gardens is a mistake and further that a local Petition on this subject has received over 2,000 signatures.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Church Commissioners to wait until the new Bishop of Bath and Wells takes up office and then reconsiders and consults on whether he should reside at Bishop’s Palace and Gardens.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Tessa Munt, Official Report, 12 February 2014; Vol. 575, c. 980.]
[P001319]
Observations from the Church Commissioners:
The Church Commissioners note the various representations that have been made to them regarding the future living arrangements of the Bishop of Bath and Wells and the use of the Bishop’s Palace in Wells. The Board of Governors of the Church Commissioners held a discussion on the matter at their meeting on 25 February 2014. This was the first time the Board had met since the original decision of November 2013.
The members of the Board of Governors were given an opportunity to review the petition and various other representations, both in support and against their initial decision, which had been made to the Secretary of the Church Commissioners and to the Second Church Estates Commissioner, right hon. Sir Tony Baldry MP.
After detailed discussion, the Board of Governors took the decision to reaffirm its original findings. The Church Commissioners have written to the bishop’s council and standing committee of the Diocese of Bath and Wells.