This time next year the Church of England Diocese of Bradford will no longer exist, having been combined with Leeds and Ripon to form one of the largest dioceses in the country.

West Yorkshire and the Dales covers an area of 2,425 square miles and extends from Barnsley in the south of the diocese, through and across the old industrial and urban areas of West Yorkshire into North Yorkshire.

It encompasses most of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and extends as far north as the Lune Forest in Teesdale. The total population is 2,614,000, the majority of whom (2,344,000) are concentrated in the southern part of the diocese.

This new area will have an economic output across West and North Yorkshire in excess of £50 billion – bigger than the economies of eight European countries, states a new Church of England report.

The report, Statement Of Need, is a 32-page document drawn up by elected representatives from the three existing dioceses of Bradford, Wakefield, Ripon and Leeds. It will be used as the basis to draw up a list of potential candidates for the new diocesan bishop.

He will have to be an experienced, inspiring leader, with a heart for the people and a vision to shape and grow a new future for the Church in this part of the country.

It is the first time a bishop’s job description has been published for a diocese yet to come into existence. West Yorkshire and the Dales is scheduled to start life on Easter Day, April 20, next year.

The job of Bradford’s current bishop will be made redundant. The Right Rev Nick Baines was aware of this when he accepted the post just over two years ago. Each of the three disappearing dioceses, however, will be served by an area bishop.

In an article in the T&A in September, the bishop wrote: “An Area Bishop of Bradford will look after around one-third of the parishes that I currently serve. He will be able to devote serious time and attention to the particular needs and opportunities of the Bradford Metropolitan District...”

The Statement Of Need says the new diocesan bishop will be passionate about mission, an effective communicator, experienced in managing and affecting change, wholly committed to the Area Scheme which will create episcopal areas of Wakefield, Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Ripon, and will put the local church first before playing a fuller part in the national life of the church.

Key priorities are:

  • Support for and nurture of church schools
  • Challenge injustice and respond to current social, political and ethical issues
  • Encourage vocations for both clergy and lay people
  • Ensure dynamic ecumenical engagement with civic, political, social and cultural leaders “to allow a Christian voice to be heard where decisions are made and to help shape the local landscape.”

For the past 30 years, Philip Lewis has been adviser to the office of the Bishop of Bradford. He said the bishop for the diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales needed to have a skill set that understands religious diversity in Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield and how these areas can work together.

“And he has to understand how we can train clergy appropriate to the issues of these big conurbations. I see a growing confidence in the Christian community. They have centuries of a robust tradition where they can engage with complex issues in the modern world in a grown-up way,” he added.

The Statement of Need refers to Bradford Cathedral as “...the one remaining Christian church in the city centre. It is physically hidden, separated from the city centre by a wasteland awaiting development, and has few financial endowments or reserves.

“Yet it has recovered from bankruptcy and has a strong reputation both locally and across the region.”

Unusually, the new diocese will have three cathedrals: Bradford, Ripon and Wakefield. There could be a fourth if Leeds Minster becomes a pro-cathedral in future.

Among many changes will be the merger of the three existing diocesan ruling bodies or synods into one consisting of 300 people.

“Synod elections are due in 2015, and for these a new Synod structure will need to be devised during 2014 after the Appointed Day,” the report states.

Another consequence of the proposed changes to the shape and administrative structures of the disappearing dioceses will be job losses – an estimated ten per cent reduction in staff over five years.