THE number of vicars in East Lancashire is set to be cut by 15 per cent in the next seven years, it has been revealed.

Bishop John Goddard said the fact that 40 members of clergy have already been lost in the Church of England in the past five years means the situation is ‘more than challenging’.

New guidelines state that the Blackburn Diocese, which covers East Lancashire, must reduce its number of full-time vicars to 170 by 2018. Five years ago the number was above 240.

There are 226 parishes and 280 churches in the diocese.

And Bishop John is now heading up a new taskforce in a bid to find a way to make the reduction in clergy work in East Lancashire.

He said that more parishes must become used to operating without a full-time priest. He said: “Parishes are now used to the idea that they will be working together. I believe very strongly in stipendiary ministry but I am also very committed to self-supporting ministry.

“So you may have one full time priest in a group of parishes more often.

“And the congregation will need to come forward and develop an awareness that every one of them has an opportunity for participating in the Christian faith.

“The clergy need to be seen as the conductors of an orchestra rather than a one-man band.

“We have now launched a new taskforce which I am heading up to ”

In addition to the numbers of clergy in East Lancashire there are currently 218 priests who hold ‘permission to officiate’, many of whom are retired but continue to lead services where they are needed.