A FINANCIAL crisis is forcing the Church of England to reduce the number of staff employed in the York Diocese.

About 21 positions will remain unfilled once they have been vacated in an attempt to balance the books.

The Church intends to use more part-time, non-stipendiary and active retired priests.

Church leaders are blaming dwindling attendance figures, increases in the number of retired priests on pensions in the diocese and a reduction in cash allocations from the Church Commissioners.

The details are given in an open letter to parishioners from the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, published in deanery magazines across the region this month.

"I am sure that you will be aware that the Diocese of York is facing a number of financial challenges in 2002," says Dr Hope.

"The dioceses are having to find increasing funds in order to meet their financial responsibility to clergy and those others employed by them. This diocese is no exception.

"The diocese has reached a point whereby its realisable reserves cannot be reduced further and a balanced budget ... needs to be achieved by 2003."

A spokesman for the Archbishop said the church remained completely committed to parishes.

"People can rest assured that the Archbishop will do everything in his power to maintain parish priests," said the spokesman.

"In many areas fewer people are attending church and as church land is sold off the amount of grant money received from the Church Commission diminishes.

"There are more priests retiring now and they have to be given pensions - people are living longer, so these pensions continue for longer."

The spokesman said: "There are about 21 posts that will simply not be filled once they are vacated.

"These will be specialist priest positions which are not connected to a particular parish." He said there would be an increasing use of active, retired priests, part-time and non-stipendiary priests.

Martin Sheppard, director of communication for the York Diocese, said: "The merging of small parishes is a pattern we will continue to see in the future.

"Although there is no blanket policy, every single locality is looked at on its own merits."

The Rev Bill Ankers (St Peter's, Norton), said: "There are more people in training than ever before. There's a huge number coming through and a lot of those will be part-time and unpaid."

Updated: 11:42 Thursday, September 06, 2001