The former leaders of Christchurch Durham, including ex-senior pastor Tony Jones, have sent a response to a draft report produced by the barrister conducting an external review into their leadership, en understands.
Publication of the final report had originally been expected last autumn.
As part of her investigation, Janys Scott KC received submissions from 52 individuals, according to an update published on the CDD website on 14 March. She was commissioned in August 2023 to undertake an independent review into past leadership and governance at Christchurch Durham (CDD) during Tony Jones’s tenure as senior pastor from 2003 to 2021.
The current elders at CDD said Scott ‘spent much of the autumn collating [witnesses’] contributions and setting out findings’. They added: ‘In December she submitted a draft of her report to our former leadership for comment, and at the end of February they submitted an 806-page response. We are grateful that they participated in the review.’
Scott is now in the process of reviewing that response.
The elders said: ‘Our desire is for her to produce a fair and reasonable report and we are keen for her to take the time she needs to do this. We are conscious that the process is taking longer than originally anticipated, and we are praying for God to sustain all who are waiting for the report.
‘We are also praying for Janys who has asked for prayer to be able to complete the review in a wise, respectful, and timely manner.
