AN INVESTIGATION into the conduct of Ballarat’s Anglican Bishop may not be over, despite his resignation at the weekend.The Ballarat Anglican Diocesan Synod at Portland was told on Saturday that Bishop Michael Hough would step down from the role from December 20.He will remain on leave until then, with Melbourne BishopPhillip Huggins to run the diocese until a new bishop is appointed.Bishop Hough has been under investigation by the church’s Episcopal Standards Commission over allegations of misconduct.But despite an agreement in which 13 clergy and senior lay people withdrew their complaints against the bishop, a decision on whether to continue the investigation remains with the commission.The church’s Special Tribunal Canon says that once an investigation has started, any settlement cannot prevent the commission from pressing charges against the bishop.‘‘Any term of settlement or resolution . . . which purports to prevent or to limit the institution of proceedings by way of charge against a bishop shall be of no effect,’’ the canon says.The drawn-out investigation has left the diocese divided between supporters of the bishop and those who wanted him out.The Courier understands that a clergy reconciliation day will be held in coming months in an attempt to help the two sides resolve their differences.Bishop Hough will remain a bishop after his final service on December 19, at which he will symbolically lay down his staff on the cathedral altar.Meanwhile, the committee of six clergy and six lay peopleappointed to find the next Ballarat Anglican Bishop could begin its search as soon as next month.Commission director Christopher Thomas and BishopHough were both unavailable for comment yesterday.