Deanery Synods

The Diocese is divided into 29 deaneries or groups of parishes. Every Deanery is required to have a Synod. This is chaired by the Area Dean and an elected Lay Chair.

The Area Dean and Lay Chair work closely with the Area Bishop and Archdeacon. Their priorities include Mission Action Planning and the allocation of the ‘share’ from the deanery to the parishes.

Under the Synodical Government Measure 1969 deaneries also have the power to bring proposals and motions to Diocesan Synod for debate. Any deanery wishing to bring a motion to the Diocesan Synod should contact the Diocesan Secretary (link).

Deanery Synod members also act as the electorate for all elections to Diocesan Synod and General Synod.

The Diocesan Electoral Registration Officer (DERO) is responsible for collecting information relating to changes in Deanery Synod membership:

Please send to Caroline Todd at: dero@oxford.anglican.org.

Deanery Synod Rules (2020 approved by Diocesan Synod March 2021) following a number of updates during 2020 these were approved by Diocesan Synod. Full changes to rules can be viewed at Church Representation Rules latest revision 2020.

Basic outline of the new Rules most relevant to Deanery Synods:

• Part 3 (deanery synods) makes provision for the composition of, and elections to, deanery synods.

• Part 8 (miscellaneous) makes miscellaneous provisions for the purposes of the Rules, including provisions relating to the handling of personal data, casual vacancies, communication by email or post and interpretation.

• Part 9 (parish governance: model Rules) contains the model Rules for parish governance. These provide for matters such as annual and other parochial church meetings, elections of members of parochial PCCs and deanery synods, the composition and business of PCCs, and the making of schemes for joint councils for ‘connected parishes’. The model Rules will apply automatically unless a parish makes a scheme under Rule 12 to amend or supplement, or to replace, the model Rules.

Election of Deanery Synod Representatives (Next full election to take place in 2023) .

NEW: Lay Representatives to deanery synod (new triennium) members will be elected to serve from 1st January 2021 to 3oth June 2023

Parishes should use the casual vacancy process to fill places where there were insufficient candidates to stand in original elections, ie only those places should be filled. Any member elected under this rule will serve for the remainder of the triennium (to 30 June 2023)

D2 Nomination of lay member of Deanery Synod Word

D3 Elections Results sheet Word / pdf

Deanery Synod Rep calculations 2020. It is not permissible to change the number of allocated reps during the three-year period as the scheme had been approved in 2019 for elections to take place in 2020, even if your electoral roll numbers change during that time. Please use the deanery tables below if you are unsure how many reps you were allocated originally.

Table for calculating the number of lay representatives is contained in each individual deanery sheet. See link click here

ELECTION OF DEANERY SYNOD REPS 2020

To find your allocated number of deanery reps, please select your deanery from the list below (A-Z):

Abingdon Deanery Synod Reps 2020

Amersham Deanery Synod Reps 2020

Aston & Cuddesdon Deanery Synod Reps 2020

Aylesbury Deanery Synod Reps 2020

Bicester & Islip Deanery Synod Reps 2020

Bracknell Deanery Synod Reps 2020

Bradfield Deanery Synod Reps 2020

Buckingham Deanery Synod Reps 2020

Burnham & Slough Deanery Synod Reps 2020