Agenda Volume 2 - Methodist Conference

35. Larger than Circuit
that any ‘boundaries’ should reflect
that; other districts, whilst still being
fully involved in ecumenical activity,
have no prospect of aligning the work
in this way.
81. There is the need to be aware of the
thinking and developments which
have already taken place in some
areas. These include the following:
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the Scotland and Shetland
Districts currently share a
learning and development
team;
the seven districts involved
in the North West Districts
Review process have signed
a covenant, both as District
Chairs and as Synods, for
closer working together and are
now beginning to explore their
next steps in doing this;
the four districts in Yorkshire
have been exploring how to
work together more closely;
the Darlington and Newcastle
upon Tyne Districts, who
have a history of sharing a
Training & Development Officer
(TDO) and more recently a
Training Officer (TO), have
now made a temporary joint
appointment of a ‘Regional
Change Management Enabler’
to replace the DDEs who have
recently moved on;
the Lincoln & Grimsby and
Nottingham & Derby Districts
have a history of sharing a TDO
and, more recently, a TO and
DDE;
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the Birmingham and
Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury
Districts have previously shared
a TDO and have also had
conversations about a possible
merger;
the Wales Synod has been
created out of the former
North Wales and South Wales
Districts;
Synod Cymru and the Wales
Synod currently share a
learning and development
team;
the Bedfordshire, Essex &
Hertfordshire and East Anglia
Districts currently share TOs;
the patterns of how the Chairs’
responsibilities in the London
District (itself created in 2006)
have been reviewed.
82. Another common theme is that
there needs to be a recognition that
there are distinct conversations to
be had about a) any ongoing ‘larger
than circuit’ entity or entities which
might or might not reflect existing
district functions and responsibilities
and b) the role and responsibilities
of the District Chair as they are
currently exercised and might evolve.
Obviously there are close links
between the two, as our ecclesiology,
constitutional arrangements and
experience teach us. But the
working party was very much made
aware that, whatever may develop in
other respects, there will continue to
be the need for a sufficient number
of leaders with the gifts, experience
and time available to exercise this
Conference Agenda 2013
387