(Church Times) Weak financial controls and ‘disempowered’ trustees were background to Bangor débâcle, review says

 Financial controls were dismantled, and trustees were “disempowered”, in Bangor diocese, a review of the situation over the five years before the previous Archbishop’s resignation has found.

The independent governance review of Bangor Diocesan Board of Finance (BDBF) and Bangor Diocesan Trust (BDT), published on Friday, was told by trustees that it had became apparent that “they should not challenge what was being done because it was already agreed, and dissent would not be appreciated.”

During the period studied — the five years leading up to the retirement as Bishop of Bangor and Archbishop of Wales of the Most Revd Andy John, in 2025 — several serious-incident reports were sent to the Charity Commission relating to Bangor Cathedral (News, 14 May 2025).

A Visitation and safeguarding audit heard about “weak financial controls” and was told that there was “no protection for those raising concerns” (News, 3 May 2025). Archbishop John announced his retirement in the wake of its publication, apologising for “errors of judgement” (News, 27 June 2025).

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Financial controls were dismantled, and trustees were “disempowered”, in #Bangor diocese, a review of the situation over the five years before the previous Archbishop’s resignation has found#churchinwales #churchnews #churchtimes https://t.co/BrgXlgwQC6

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) March 9, 2026