Historic link broken over Dean suspension row

Thursday 23 January 2014

Jersey's 500-year link to the Diocese of Winchester has been ended by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who has commissioned a review of the Island's place in the Anglican Church.

The Archbishop has taken the unprecedented step as the rift over last year's suspension of The Dean, the Very Rev Bob Key, continues to fester. The Bishop of Dover has now been given temporary control over the Church in the Channel Islands.

Last year the Bishop of Winchester, the Right Rev Tim Dakin, suspended Mr Key over his handling of alleged sexual misconduct by a church warden.  The Dean subsequently apologised for mistakes in handling the complaint and was reinstated, but a report into the case by former High Court judge Dame Heather Steel - which exonerated Mr Key - has not been published.

Although the Dean was cleared, island Anglicans remained unhappy at the intervention by the Bishop of Winchester.

Mr Key said that the move by the Archbishop was unprecedented. He said: "I am immensely grateful to Archbishop Justin for his personal interest and intervention. There is, of course, a degree of sadness that the 500-year-old relationship with Winchester has come to an end. There is also a sense of relief that the uncertainty has been lifted and we now know what the future looks like."

He denied the suggestion that the Island wanted to split from the Church of England, saying Jersey wanted to continue to play its full part in the church family.

"What this enables us to do, in Bobby Charlton terms, is the chance to put our foot on the ball and see which way to go," he said.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will also be appointing a commission to look at the relationship between the Channel Islands, the Diocese of Winchester and the wider Church of England.