Diocesan Synod is the regional assembly of the Church of England in Essex and East London. It is the main policy making body of the diocese and comprises three Houses - of Bishops, Clergy and Laity.
The members of Diocesan Synod are also members of the Diocesan Board of Finance which is responsible for the custody and management of the diocesan finances and the employment of all persons in receipt of salaries paid directly from those funds. The Diocesan Synod is elected every three years.
As a company limited by guarantee the board is governed by the companies act and by its memorandum and articles of association. As a charity it is governed by the Charities Act. Diocesan Synod meets three times a year.
The final meeting in 2024 will be held on 16 November. Dates for 2025 are 22 March, 21 June and 22 November.
Download latest documents
Diocesan Synod and CDBF AGM 15 June 2024
CDBF AGM (including unsigned 2023 annual report and accounts)
Useful documents
- Diocesan Synod and Committee Members
- Diocesan Synod Member's Handbook Part 1: Synod Constitution & Standing Orders
- Diocesan Synod Member's Handbook Part 2: Committee Handbook
Previous meetings agenda and papers
Diocesan Synod 25 November 2023
Diocesan Synod papers
Diocesan Synod 10 June 2023
2022 Annual Report and Accounts (unsigned)
Diocesan Synod 18 March 2023
Diocesan Synod Papers
House of Clergy
Diocesan Synod 22 October 2022
Diocesan Synod 11 June 2022
Meeting of the Diocesan Synod on 26 February 2022
Diocesan Synod and CDBF meetings 26 February 2022
Meeting of the Diocesan Synod on 20 November 2021
- Diocesan Synod 20 November 2021
- House of Clergy 20 November 2021
- House of Laity 20 November 2021
- Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance 20 November 2021
Meeting of the Diocesan Synod on 5 June 2021
- Agenda and papers (including agenda and papers for the CDBF AGM)
- CDBF Annual Report and Accounts 2020
Meeting of the Diocesan Synod on 20 March 2021
Meeting of Diocesan Synod on 21 November 2020
Meeting of Diocesan Synod on 3 October 2020
Agenda and papers 6th June 2020
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance from the previous meeting
- Item 4 paper DS(2020)04
- Item 5 paper DS(2020)05
- Item 6 paper DS(2020)06
- CDBF AGM agenda and minutes
- Summarised Financial Statements
- CDBF Annual Report and Accounts 2019
- 2019 Houses and Investment Committee reports
- Item 10 paper DS(2020)07
Agenda and papers for the meeting on 21 March 2020 - CANCELLED
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance from previous meeting
- Paper DS(2020)01
- Paper DS(2020)02
- Paper DS(2020)02 - Appendix 1
- Paper DS(2020)02 - Appendix 3
- Paper DS(2020)02 - Appendix 4
- Paper DS(2020)03
Agenda and papers for the meeting on 23 November 2019
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance from previous meeting
- Paper DS(2019)07
- Appendix 1
- Appendix 2
- Appendix 3
- Appendix 4
- Appendix 5
- Appendix 6
- Appendix 7
- Paper DS(2019)08
- Paper DS(2019)09
- Paper DS(2019)10
- Paper DS(2019)11
- Amending Canon No. 39 - Text and Instrument
Agenda and papers for the meeting on 15 June 2019
- Agenda
- House of Laity agenda and minutes
- Minutes and attendance from previous meeting
- Paper DS(2019)04
- CBDF AGM agenda and minutes
- Abbreviated Financial Statements
- Houses and Investment Committee annual reports
- CDBF Annual Report and Accounts 2018
- Paper DS(2019)05
- Paper DS(2019)06
Agenda and papers for the meeting on 16 March 2019
- Agenda
- House of Laity agenda and minutes of previous meeting
- Minutes and attendance from November 2018
- Paper DS(2019)01
- Paper DS(2019)02
Agenda and papers for the meeting on 17 November 2018
- Agenda
- Meeting of House of Clergy
- Meeting of House of Laity
- Agenda CDBF meeting
- Minutes of previous CDBF meeting
- CDBF item 4 - Paper CDBF(2018)02 and draft Articles of Association
- Minutes and attendance from June 2018
- Paper DS(2018)08
- Paper DS(2018)09
Agenda and papers for the meeting on 16 June 2018
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance from March 2018
- Paper DS(2018)04
- Paper DS(2018)05
- DBF AGM agenda
- 2017 DBF AGM minutes
- Summarised Financial statements
- Full Annual Report and Accounts
- Paper DBF(2018)01
- Paper DS(2018)06
- Paper DS(2018)07
Agenda and papers for the Synod meeting of 17 March 2018
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance from 18 November 2017
- Paper DS(2018)01
- Paper DS(2018)02
- Paper DS(2018)03
- Amending Canon No 36
- Amending Canon No. 37
Agenda and papers for 18 November 2017
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance for 17 June 2017
- Paper DS(2017)07 - Setting God's People Free - report
- Paper DS(2017)08 - Draft statement of case
- Paper DS(2017)09
- Paper DS(2017)10
- GDPR slides
Agenda and papers for 17 June 2017
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance for 11 March 2017
- DBF agenda and minutes
- Abbreviated Financial Statements
- Statutory Reports and Accounts
- Paper DS(2017)04 – 2017 Budget
- Paper DS(2017)05 – Safeguarding – cover paper and policy statement
- Paper DS(2017)06 - Bishop's Council and Finance Committee reports
Agenda and papers for 11 March 2017
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance for 12 November 2016
- Paper DS(2017)01 - Diocesan Youth Strategy
- Paper DS(2017)02 - Bishop's Council and Finance Committee reports
- Paper DS(2017)03 - Annual Briefing
Agenda and Papers for 12 November 2016 meeting
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance for the 18 June 2016 meeting
- DS(2016)10 - Vocations
- Parish Giving Scheme flyer
- DS(2016)11 - Diocesan Refugee Group Update
- DS(2016)12 - Financial Update and Feedback from the Budget Consultation
- DS(2016)13 - 2017 Deanery Synod election formula
- DS(2016)14 - Bishop's Council and Finance Committee reports
Agenda and papers for 18 June 2016 meeting
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance for 12 March 2016 meeting
- DS(2016)4 - New Housing Areas and Strategic Mission Priority Areas
- DBF AGM - agenda and minutes, Finance Committee report, SOFA part one, SOFA part two, Audit Report
- 2015 Annual Accounts and Trustees' Report
- DS(2016)5 - 2017 Budget
- House of Laity - agenda and minutes
- DS(2016)6 - Social Responsibility: Citizens UK
- DS(2016)7 - National Safegaurding Policy and Practice Guidance
- DS(2016)8 - Anglican Communion Covenant motion - withdrawal
- DS(2016)9 - BC, DMPC, FC reports
Agenda and papers for 12 March 2016 meeting
- Agenda
- Minutes and Attendance for 14 November 2015 meeting
- DS(2016)1 - Share Scheme report
- DS(2016)2 - Academy Strategy and Church School performance
- DS(2016)3 - BC, DMPC and FC report
- Annual Briefing for Parishes - financial year 2015
- Text for Amending Canon No.34 and Instrument of Enactment
Agenda and papers for 14 November 2015 meeting
- Agenda
- House of Clergy agenda and minutes
- House of Laity agenda and minutes
- Minutes and attendance from 6 June 2015 meeting
- DS(15)8 - Draft Transforming Presence document
- DS(15)9 - Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns (CMEAC)
- DS(15)10 - BC, DMPC and FC report
- DBF - agenda and minutes
- DS(15)11 -Budget for 2016
- DS(15)12 - Promulgation of Amending Canon No.35 and Act of Convocation Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy
- Full text of Amending Canon No. 35
- Full text of Act of Convocation
Agenda and papers for the meeting on 6 June 2015
- Agenda
- Minutes and attendance from 14 November 2014
- DS(15)1 - National Reform & Renewal workstreams
- DS(15)2 - Annual Report to Diocesan Synod 2014 - full report
- DS(15)3 - BC, DMPC and FC report
- DS(15)4 - Schemes for Deanery Synod lay representation of Bishop's Mission Orders
- DS(15)5 - Promulgation of Amending Canons 32 and 33 - full text of Amending Canon 32, full text of Amending Canon 33
- DBF AGM - Agenda, Minutes, Finance Committee report, SOFA part one, SOFA part two, Audit Report, Houses Committee and Investment Committee report
- DS(15)6 - Budget 2016
- DS(15)7 - Share Scheme Review - Interim Report
- Slides from June Synod
- Reform and Renewal video
