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| The Archbishop, the Deanery, the Archdeacon of Llandaff and a can of worms. |
Saturday, 4 October 2014, Church in Wales: The Llandaff dimension.
That entry attracted 83 comments. In November 2013 Morgan's organ had attracted 66 comments. A month later in First things first! when I listed the 'All time' top 10 posts I wrote:
" When I started this blog I had no idea where it would lead but four years later of the 677 entries the most hits have, with a couple of exceptions, centred on the tribulations of the Church of Wales and the Diocese of Llandaff in particular.
The publication of the Llandaff Cathedral Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2020 has caused a similar reaction with many comments already posted under the previous entry. In particular in response to the revelation on page 22 under Related party transactions and trustees' remuneration, expenses and benefits:
to prepare the statement of accounts in accordance with the Charities SORP, which requires trustees to
disclose certain information about the remuneration and other benefits received by trustees. The
Charities SORP states that all transactions with a trustee must be regarded as material regardless of
size.
"As to remuneration, none of the trustees received any remuneration from the charity in 2020. The Dean
and canons residentiary are ecclesiastical office holders remunerated by the Church in Wales.
The Church in Wales sets out the rules under which clergy can claim for expenses of their office. In
2020 the clergy claimed £3,211 in utility costs which they are specifically entitled to under the Church in Wales rules in respect of their office, and were reimbursed £1,065 for equipment and consumables
used in the Cathedral itself, from budgets approved by Chapter.
and canons residentiary are ecclesiastical office holders remunerated by the Church in Wales.
The Church in Wales sets out the rules under which clergy can claim for expenses of their office. In
2020 the clergy claimed £3,211 in utility costs which they are specifically entitled to under the Church in Wales rules in respect of their office, and were reimbursed £1,065 for equipment and consumables
used in the Cathedral itself, from budgets approved by Chapter.
"In 2021, Chapter has been investigating expenditure totalling £69,350 between 2016 and 2020 of which
at least £35,551 it does not believe was approved by the trustees, as required in law. As a result of a
report commissioned by Chapter (and shared with the Charity Commission) from a Queen’s Counsel
independent of the trustees, Chapter has concluded that the following amounts were apparently
authorised by The Very Reverend Gerwyn Capon which benefited him personally, directly or indirectly,
but were not approved by the trustees of the charity:
• for work at the Deanery (not owned or maintained by the charity), including the purchase of an
Aga cooker and wood-burning stove: £22,173
• Furniture, artwork and other items: £4,789
• Entertaining, travel and other costs: £5,325
at least £35,551 it does not believe was approved by the trustees, as required in law. As a result of a
report commissioned by Chapter (and shared with the Charity Commission) from a Queen’s Counsel
independent of the trustees, Chapter has concluded that the following amounts were apparently
authorised by The Very Reverend Gerwyn Capon which benefited him personally, directly or indirectly,
but were not approved by the trustees of the charity:
• for work at the Deanery (not owned or maintained by the charity), including the purchase of an
Aga cooker and wood-burning stove: £22,173
• Furniture, artwork and other items: £4,789
• Entertaining, travel and other costs: £5,325
"A further £3,264 was apparently authorised by The Very Reverend Gerwyn Capon for payment to an
employee in addition to salary, without the authority of the trustees.
The QC’s report recommends that the trustees seek restitution of these amounts, and the trustees are
taking steps accordingly."
employee in addition to salary, without the authority of the trustees.
The QC’s report recommends that the trustees seek restitution of these amounts, and the trustees are
taking steps accordingly."
Cover up and secrecy have become far too common in the Church in Wales. The Llandaff dimension has rumbled on for years. The former bishop of Monmouth's absence and subsequent retirement have yet to be properly explained while the bishop of St Davids keeps her head down hoping everything will blow over so she can carry on where she left off.
The people are the Church not the bishops and their appointees. They need to know the truth. Instead they are treated as pew fodder to keep the bench in the style they have become accustomed too.
It is no wonder that outside their tiny Province the Church in Wales is regarded as finished.
Postscript [05.11.2021]
The Dean's response:
"The Dean responded with a statement saying: “I am deeply shocked the Cathedral Chapter has taken a decision to defame me in this way.
“In May 2020, I was diagnosed with clinical depression and needed some time off work, whereupon the Chapter made a series of unfounded allegations against me to the bishop [Rt Rev June Osborne].
“She referred them immediately to the Disciplinary Tribunal of the Church in Wales, before which I was invited to appear in order to answer their complaints.
“The tribunal reviewed my detailed evidence and concluded there was no case to answer. I was completely exonerated.
“For Chapter now to renew them, knowing of the tribunal’s decision, is entirely malicious, and people will properly question their action.
“Needless to say, I refute the allegations completely, and refer, again, to the decision of the Church in Wales Tribunal who rejected them at the very first hurdle.
“I have written formally to the Chapter asking them to retract these defamatory remarks and remove them from the cathedral website.”
The dean shared the report of the disciplinary tribunal with the Western Mail.
It states that a committee of the tribunal met in October 2020 to consider a referral from the bishop relating to the dean.
A complaint made by Gerald Elias QC as vice-chair of the Chapter obliged the committee to decide “whether [the dean] was responsible for neglect of duties of office, or persistent carelessness or gross inefficiency in the discharge of his duties and / or that his conduct had given just cause for scandal or offence”.
The committee found no evidence of claims incurred by or authorised by the dean that were improper, but said there was a “somewhat antiquated accounting system which oversaw a lack of a proper framework for the claim and payment of expenses”.
There had been no complaints from the external auditors.
The committee concluded: “While we find that the dean might have been more proactive in addressing the difficulties that the system he inherited posed, that responsibility was not his alone and we do not find that any failings were such as to enable us to find that he has a case to answer on the basis of neglect of duties of office, or persistent carelessness or gross inefficiency in the discharge of such duties.
“Accordingly we find that the dean does not have a case to answer.”
A spokeswoman for the Church in Wales said: “The dean remains off work due to illness.
“I have checked with the Cathedral Chapter and they are not commenting further.”
The Very Rev Capon, 56, was appointed Dean of Llandaff in 2014 by the former Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, whose chaplain he had been.
