Last updated 17th September 2026

General Synod Elections 2026

Nominations have now closed for the 2026 General Synod elections.

General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England. It considers and approves legislation affecting the Church, agrees forms of worship, debates matters of national and international importance, and approves the budget for the Church’s work at national level. Those elected in 2026 will serve for the 2026–2031 term.

Our Diocese has been allocated five seats in the House of Clergy and seven seats in the House of Laity, and the voting period for these seats will open on 21 September and close on 12 October 2026.

Candidates

The following people have been nominated for election:

House of Clergy

Paul Benfield
Calum Crombie
Katherine Gregory-Witham
Jonny Wei Sing Lee
David O’Brien
Damian Platt
Joanne Smith
Andrew Wilkinson
Tom Woolford

House of Laity

Ann Aspden
Stephen Boyall
Margaret Carr
Catherine Davies
David Gascoigne
Paul Hannah
Laura Kochanski
William Leeming
Hannah Lockwood
Rosemary Lyon
Laura Oliver
Joseph Pendley
Paul Ronson
Matthew Smith

Election addresses and photos, for those candidates who have submitted them, can be found below:

HOUSE OF CLERGY

Paul Benfield - election address	Paul Benfield - photo
Calum Crombie - election address	Calum Crombie - photo
Katherine Gregory-Witham - election address	Katherine Gregory-Witham - photo
Jonny Wei Sing Lee - election address	Jonny Wei Sing Lee - photo
David O'Brien - election address	David O'Brien -Photo
Damian Platt - election address	Damian Platt - photo
Joanne Smith - election address	Joanne Smith - photo
Andrew Wilkinson - election address	Andrew Wilkinson - photo
Tom Woolford - election address	Tom Woolford - photo

HOUSE OF LAITY

Ann Aspden - election address
Stephen Boyall - election address	Stephen Boyall - photo
Margaret Carr - election address	Margaret Carr - photo
Catherine Davies - election address	Catherine Davies - photo
David Gascoigne - election address	David Gascoigne - photo
Paul Hannah - election address	Paul Hannah - photo
Laura Kochanski - election address	Laura Kochanski - photo
William Leeming - election address
Hannah Lockwood - election address	Hannah Lockwood - photo
Rosemary Lyon - election address	Rosemary Lyon - photo
Laura Oliver - election address	Laura Oliver - photo
Joseph Pendley - election address	Joseph Pendley - photo
Paul Ronson - election address	Paul Ronson - photo
Matthew Smith - election address	Matthew Smith - photo