The way in which Cathedrals were governed was transformed by the Cathedrals Measures Act of 1999.
Key changes included
- the greater involvement of lay people and
- the introduction of interlocking groups offering help and support to the Chapter, the body primarily responsible for managing the Cathedral.
Norwich enacted these proposals in a new Constitution. Today the ‘corporate body’ responsible for running Norwich Cathedral is the Chapter, advised by the Cathedral Council and the College of Canons.
Under the leadership of the Dean, the role of the Chapter is to provide overall direction and management over all aspects of the life and work of the Cathedral. The Dean and three Residentiary Canons are required to live close to the Cathedral, and take their turn being 'in residence', that is leading Morning and Evening Prayer for that week.
The Chapter is advised by
- senior staff led by the Chapter Steward, all of whom are lay people, and
- a number of specialist committees (eg finance, property) comprising a mixture of Chapter members, Cathedral staff and lay experts in the field concerned.
The College of Canons
The term ‘Canon’ literally means a yard-stick and was originally used to refer to the fact that those called Canons belonged to a body of people who lived their lives according to a particular rule.
Today the College of Canons is a group of people, clergy and lay, appointed by the Bishop to provide information, prayer and support for the Cathedral and maintain close links between the Cathedral and the diocese.
The Cathedral Council
The Council comprises representatives drawn from the Cathedral community and the wider local and regional community. It is chaired by a lay person and its members are drawn from a wide variety of organizations. Its duty is to further and support the work of Norwich Cathedral in spiritual, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical areas.
The Chairman of Norwich Cathedral Council is Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market, OBE PC FKC.
Over seventy people work to keep the Cathedral running on a day-to-day basis, and the Cathedral also works closely with a number of professional advisers and associates. The Cathedral Office at 12 The Close is divided into a number of specialist departments each with a department head reporting to the Cathedral Steward.