A “Visitation” report into Bangor Cathedral has found a “culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred”, inappropriate language and excessive consumption of alcohol.
The report also found weak financial controls, unclear reporting lines, spending decisions that were insufficiently scrutinised, and “hurtful gossip”.
The report found strengths amid recent positive changes, but it made ten wide ranging recommendations on matters such as governance, training and culture.
The visitation was commissioned in October 2024, by the Archbishop of Wales, Andy John, after “very serious and urgent” safeguarding concerns were raised.
A safeguarding audit was carried out in parallel by the charity ThirtyOne:Eight, which recommended areas for improvement. The Visitation report says any future appointment to the role of Dean or Sub-Dean should be exclusive of other responsibilities. This follows the appointment of Canon Siôn Rhys-Evans as both sub-Dean and Canon Treasurer and Diocesan Secretary, roles he left in December 2024.
In response to the report, the Archbishop said it was a sobering time and the findings were “hard to hear – but they must be faced if we are to move forward with integrity”. He said the recommendations would be implemented in full, recruitment for a new Dean would start immediately, and there would be a commitment to “the work of repair, of rebuilding trust and of creating a healthier culture—together”.