I had been struggling to understand this ingrained and consistent behaviour for some time. It was Fiona Gardner’s book ‘Sex, Power, Control: Responding to Abuse in the Institutional Church’ that analysed the situation and explained what was going on. The only way I can rationalise the behaviour of the AC is that it’s a deliberate provocation to attempt to force Jasvinder & Steve to resign in protest, so that the current partial neutering of the ISB that the AC has achieved will then be converted into a complete destruction of any effective ISB. In November 2020 at a time when we had submitted a formal complaint against a Canon and had been ignored (our complaint was that she had a conflict of interest and had withheld two significant pieces of evidence which might have exonerated Kenneth), I wrote to Kenneth’s MP. The reply was: It has taken a lot of persistent questioning by interested parties to winkle out the truth about the constitutional position of the ISB. It is now conceded that the ISB is not an independent body in law. – indeed , when sued in Court by Dr Martyn Percy, a defence to this effect was filed in these plain terms!

Prof.Percy had also urged that his complaints process against William Nye be widened to enable other victims, survivors, stakeholders and whistleblowers to be considered within the same process, not least in case common themes should emerge. He was informed that he would, alone, be required to collate such evidence and bring them within the terms of reference (drawn up by Church House). Just imagine, for a moment, any victim of abuse (e.g., involving a known perpetrator such as Jimmy Savile) being told by the BBC or the Police that as the complainant, they must co-ordinate the evidence of all the victims. the families and friends of those who have experienced church-based abuse and are living with the consequences A similar level of insight and expertise at strategic level will be needed in countering the abuse of charitable status of many churches, for example, indeed more so, because so many factors act in resistance to change. Yes, Mr Froghole. Many survivors and our supporters have realised this and are starting to engage with the public sector.Gordon Brown renounced active control over Church patronage in 2007. That did not affect Christ Church in any meaningful way. However, in 2008 he also renounced active participation in university appointments. Prior to 2008 the patronage/appointments secretary would take soundings, as per the appointment of Christopher Lewis in 2003. Lewis was not well known in Oxford (he had been vice-principal at Cuddesdon in 1981-82, but Cuddesdon has a rather soi-disant relationship with the University, not least in terms of physical distance). He was thought to be ‘suitable’ because of his experience at Canterbury and St Albans, because of his facility as a sportsman and his evident presence and social polish (his father was second sea lord and lord lieutenant of Essex). However, it has to be said that the field was a thin one, and members of the governing body had to cast around for information about him. We believe that one of the best ways we can help individuals and communities to respond well to abuse is through creative projects. This creates space for a conversation between those with lived experience and others in their communities. Imagination is one of the most powerful resources God gives us to foster a more empathetic understanding of the needs of survivors and what helpful responses might look and sound like as we journey forwards together.

As readers will understand, if the very people briefing the Reviewer are potentially subjects for any Review into failure or misconduct, and are at the same time working for the bodies that need investigation (i.e., the Archbishops’ Council, the Secretary General, etc.), then there is the potential for a very serious inherent conflict of interest which would undermine trust and confidence in the outcome. The Ordinary of the Cathedral and Visitor of the Cathedral Chapter should become the Bishop of Oxford, with the Bishop fully involved in the appointment of all future Deans;I have also asked that in the light of the Soul Survivor Festival scandal, that every Church of England festival in the United Kingdom, every Christian retreat, church away day, have a major safeguarding review to ensure that no other scandals come out of the Church of England.

The Jay Report should be with us in January. There is no excuse for it not being on the agenda in February 2024, though control or prevention of any debate is likely to be attempted. We must resist that at all costs. The credibility of Synod itself is at stake. Attempts to engage the Audit Committee in a clarifying investigation were resisted by the Archbishops at the last Synod. The Chair of the Audit Committee told Synod that oversight of the ISB was not within her committee’s scope of activity, but we now know that this too was mistaken. A letter from the Audit Committee Chair correcting that error was sent to the Synod Member who raised the question, but the correction has yet to be circulated to all Synod members.In 2015, following the completion of the review of past safeguarding cases over the last fifty years (the Courage, Cost & Hope Report), The Methodist Church offered a full unreserved apology to survivors and victims of abuse for the failure of current and past processes in fully protecting children, young people and adults from abuse. Sarah Troughton, a psychiatrist at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW), said: “It is essential that the voice of the survivor of church related abuse is no longer silenced but instead valued so that not only healing but post traumatic growth can occur for the individual and the wider church itself. This ethos is central to the project.” I have asked Bishop Joanne to remove a couple of Diocese Safeguarding Advisors from being able to work in the Church of England, and, to refer them to the Disclosure and Barring Service, she refused to speak to me on the telephone but I had to speak to Debi Tony, and, I have asked them to resolve some issues, and they have covered this up. I have asked for a major review into every person who has a disability and a mental health condition if they are subject to Diocese Safeguarding agreements, assessments, and, monitoring. Looking at the October 2021 voting figures, if none of the five stood down, it seemed likely (though not certain, as the STV counting is complex) that Jonathan Baker would have stepped up to fill the vacancy. However, that did not happen.