Winchester Cathedral has welcomed an independent review initiated by the Bishop of Winchester following concerns about the culture and management practices within the cathedral’s music department.

Earlier this month, Winchester Cathedral Chapter's senior non-executive member, Mark Byford, resigned unexpectedly after seven years in his role.

He described his decision as one made with both “deep reluctance and deep disappointment” but ultimately concluded that his departure was “in the best interests of the Cathedral”.

In response, the Bishop of Winchester, Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen, announced an independent review to investigate the events leading to the changes in the cathedral’s governance.

The Cathedral has since released a statement expressing its commitment to “fully engaging in the process” and understanding the bishop’s efforts to “quickly understand and address any concerns related to our culture, management, or governance". 

The statement continued: “We recognise that trust in the Cathedral’s leadership is essential for a healthy and flourishing church and see a review as an opportunity to work towards that end goal." 

The cathedral thanked Byford's for his "dedicated service" in the role, calling his contributions “invaluable”.

It concluded: “We wish him every blessing for the future and will soon share plans to ensure we can honour his contribution.”