General Synod Election Candidates 2026

PAUL RONSON
Standing for The House of Laity of

General Synod

Nominated by Mrs Alice Taylor
(Secretary of Garstang Deanery Synod)

Seconded by Mr Arthur Cartain
(Treasurer of Garstang Deanery Synod)

I am 60 years of age and live and work in Blackpool.
I moved to the area in November 1996 having grown up in Lincolnshire, in a small rural village, where the
church was one of a benefice of eight churches with no incumbent.

Work Experience:
• I have worked in Accountancy ever since I left school, and have a degree in accounting and finance.
I qualified with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales in December 1984. I
became a partner in 1999 in a small general accountancy and taxation practice, based in Blackpool.
• I act for many charities in the local area and therefore have a good understanding of charity
finances and the challenges they face.
• I also specialise in helping young entrepreneurs starting up in business for the first time.

Church Experience:
I have been involved with the Church of England since I was 11 years old, and am a member of the Prayer
Book Society. I am very involved and particularly care for the local parish churches by being:-
• Organist and choirmaster at two churches, playing for all the services, for 49 years.
• Treasurer of two churches
• On the PCC of three churches
• Churchwarden
• Lay chair of Garstang Deanery Synod
• Trustee of Blackburn DBF, and on the Finance and Mission & Pastoral Committees
• Elected member of the Archbishops Council Finance Committee.

Why am I Standing:
• The Church of England is facing huge challenges, particularly with declining numbers and more
importantly a falling income, and the ever rising cost of maintaining our historic buildings.

• We do not need any more top-down vision statements and shiny new diocesan led projects. What
we need is more fulltime, parish-based clergy and staff to serve as the core critical resources in
the local communities in which they are physically present. The church must reach people where
they are – in their communities that make up the parish. The local presence is everything. It is
where the incumbent is known personally by the local people.

• I served on General Synod for the last quinquennium – When I successfully brought the motion
regarding distribution of the Church Commissioners assets (the Hereford Motion) to Garstang
Deanery Synod, and then Blackburn Diocesan Synod. Also supported by other dioceses, this
motion was debated in July 2025. Mechanisms for financing the Church of England need re-visiting
and my extensive financial background will enable me to speak further into this debate.

• Through General Synod I was elected to serve on the Archbishops Council Finance Committee,
where I am able to utilise my financial expertise, and to continue to bring the concerns of the local
parish to the forefront of discussions.

• Gender & Sexual identity
I support the equality of all people in all areas of church life, regardless of gender, disability,
ethnicity or sexual orientation. The Church of England should be open to all at all levels as we are
called by God to preach the Gospel to the world.
I am a Trustee and Treasurer of Together For the Church of England which is a charity working to
create a more equal church where all LGBTQIA+, GMH, neurodiverse, differently abled, etc
Christians are welcomed and celebrated as equally beloved people made in the image of God. I will
continue to support the full inclusion of all people.

• As a member of the Save the Parish Network, I support its manifesto:
• To support the Archbishops in keeping their pledge to support the parish as the best means of
evangelism.
• To put the “frontline first”, ensuring that resources that properly belong to and are generated by
the parishes remain at parish level, freeing up laity and clergy for mission.
• To ensure that legislation and projects initiated from the centre nonetheless upport and
enhance the parochial system by integrating the Strategic Development Fund into the parish and
opposing the revision to the Mission & Pastoral Measure which would make it easier and quicker
for the dioceses to close churches, make clergy redundant, and throw clergy out of their homes.
• We believe that effective mission requires the prioritisation of spending on good theological
education as a crucial investment.
• We will call for a Church-State commission to agree a national plan to protect and preserve
historic parish buildings.

• Safeguarding: The church’s record on safeguarding has shown severe failings. I supported the
discussions and debate for the total independence of safeguarding, both operationally and in its
oversight thereof. The church must continue to work as fast as possible to ensure it is a safe place
for all people.

• I also served on the Mission and Pastoral Measure General Synod Reference Group. As Parishes
become ever increasingly larger benefices, this continues to be an important concern, and an area
in need of constant challenge, as it is detrimental to the mission of the church. The Church is
called to minister to a cure of souls and to be a Christian presence in every community.

• Climate change/Net Zero
Climate change is a genuine emergency and I welcome the commitment by the General Synod to
become carbon neutral by 2030. The challenge now is how this can be achieved both in practice
and funding.

Thank you for reading the above statement. If you wish to discuss anything at all I can be contacted on
07725 805144 or via email at [email protected]

If you are intending to vote for me, please put me high on your list of
preferences, preferably first. Chiefly, please do use your vote! Votes must
be cast electronically by 13th October 2026.

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