The Church of England is considering cuts in the number of bishops and dioceses amid growing complaints that its structure is top-heavy and out of step with falling congregations.

At least one diocese, possibly Bradford, is likely to disappear as the Archbishops of Canterbury and York examine ways of reorganising the 44 dioceses and their diocesan bishops to help the Church of England to weather difficult times.

Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu are to report next year on how they plan to change episcopal deployment.

The General Synod in York endorsed a plan yesterday for a progress report to be drawn up on the future of the Church’s bishops.

Another motion calling for immediate cuts in bishops and other senior posts was defeated, but the debate generated criticism of the cost of supporting the senior ranks of the Church.

Together with deans and canons of cathedrals and archdeacons, bishops make up a body of senior staff that has remained largely unchanged in number for 50 years.

Over the same period, however, the number of junior clergy has fallen sharply, with parishes merged across the country and some vicars ministering to half a dozen country churches or more.

Supporters of the motion to cut the number of bishops said that the £21.8 million spent on bishops’ houses, staff, offices and expenses was equivalent to more than 400 clergy stipends.

The Synod also snubbed plans by the Archbishops to centralise power in the Church of England as it overwhelmingly rejected proposals that would have made Dr Williams one of the most powerful Archbishops of Canterbury since the Reformation.

Under the scheme, church bodies responsible for education, mission and finance would have been abolished, with the powers of the Church’s main boards and councils passing instead to Canterbury and York. Opponents said that the changes would turn government of the Church into a “Muslim-style theocracy”.

The plans were part of a series of measures designed to help the Church to cope with falling attendances, a £352 million pensions deficit and plummeting asset values.

According to the Church Commissioners, who manage the Church of England’s investments, the value of the Church’s portfolio shrank from £5.7 billion to £4.4 billion during 2008.

The Synod drew back from calling for an immediate cull of bishops after being told that the Dioceses Commission, set up nine months ago by the Archbishops’ Council, was already planning to rationalise the dioceses.

Church leaders are desperate to find ways to cut costs. They have told Synod members that parish donations will need to double to finance pension contributions, but the supporters of cutting the number of bishops were unmoved.

Dr John Hartley, of Bradford, argued: “It cannot be right simply to maintain the structures of any organisation if the staff are cut substantially, and that applies in the Church as much as anywhere else.”

Dr Priscilla Chadwick, head of the Dioceses Commission, said: “It is quite possible that there are in some areas too many dioceses, and hence too many diocesan bishops. If the dioceses were reorganised it might lead to fewer diocesan bishops.”

Biblical proportions

Full-time stipendiary clergy:

1959 14,380 2007 8,304

of whom “dignitaries” (bishops, canons and deans) number:

1959 377 2007 347

Non-stipendiary clergy — “house for duty”, readers, deaconesses and licensed lay ministers:

1960 6,958 2007 11,201

Congregation (on church electoral roll):

1960 2,862,000 2007 1,173,000