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completely escape responsibility for a level of competence in financial management which is not only sound, but which can be publicly demonstrated to be sound. If the mismanagement at Bradford St. Swithins had occurred at Tong St. James then the resultant public exposure could have seriously damaged the Church's financial credibility. The wider contributing public is not noted for its ability to distinguish between an error of omission and one of commission. In due course therefore, the Diocesan Synod will, hopefully, make some sort of a policy decision regarding the adoption of new management techniques. That decision might properly go either way and to varying degrees, but once made it should be expressed clearly and unequivocally. Should it be favourable to the adoption of such techniques, then it is the writer's opinion that not only the financial aspects outlined in preceding chapters but also those in several other disciplines might be deemed potentially beneficial - and that all would merit further research and study. However one conclusion can be stated with reasonable certainty - potential income as at present operated by the Diocese of Bradford is a highly successful method of allocating diocesan share and likely to continue to be so through the immediate future. It should be retained. Whether it will suffice for the further future must depend on developments not yet known, but if it be deemed inadequate then this study has done much preparatory work on a formula method which could be an appropriate successor, and introduced ideas from several other dioceses which, either individually or in combination, can be developed into further alternatives. But any system using parochial accounts as a basis suffers from their inadequacy and incomparability. An improvement in that basis is essential if it is to be so used, but to effect such an improvement is beyond present diocesan powers. (Slade (B26)
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