OXFORDSHIRE could have its first woman bishop by the end of the decade.

That is the hope of the Bishop of Oxford, the Right Rev John Pritchard, following a milestone vote on plans to allow women to take the highest office in the Church of England.

Bishop John said: “We have had women deacons and priests for the last 17 years and it’s absolutely logical if we have women as deacons and priests we should also be able to have them as bishops.

“I am delighted we have got to this stage.”

The Church has already agreed to the principle of female bishops and dioceses across the country have been discussing how to make provisions for parishes which are unhappy to recognise women in the role.

Two different options were on the table – to have separate, male, bishops for those who will not accept women, or to have a code of practice where a visiting bishop would look after their pastoral needs under the instruction of the diocesan bishop.

The Diocesan Synod voted overwhelmingly in favour of the code of practice approach, with all four bishops, 46 in the house of clergy and 55 in the house of laity voting for the proposals.

Just 19 members of the house of clergy and 15 in the house of laity opposed the motion.

Bishop John said while there were clearly people within the church who struggled with the idea, there had been “no histrionics or aggressive behaviour”.

He added: “We don’t want two levels of bishops, male bishops and female ones who have slightly less authority.

“We have decided we want to hold the church together, have a generous, robust code of practice to help those parishes who find themselves unable to accept women bishops.”

The Diocese of Oxford already has more female members of the clergy than any other, with roughly one in three women taking on roles as curates, priests, deacons and archdeacons.

Of the 630 benefices in the diocese, only 14 have said they would not accept women bishops – they are all already looked after by a “provincial episcopal visitor”, the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, as there are no female clergy in those benefices either.

Bishop John said: “There is huge support for women ministers in the diocese and many people wonder what the fuss is all about.

“I think we could well and should well have a woman bishop in the diocese by the end of the decade.

“We have already found by having women archdeacons on the bishop’s staff there is a greater richness of understanding of the church and of human nature.

“It brings a wholeness to our discussions.”