News Release  

Issued  8.2.10  For immediate use

Congregations suffering ‘exhaustion’ from the burden of ancient buildings, say Ripon and Leeds church leaders in General Synod motion this week

Church leaders in Leeds and North Yorkshire say that congregations are being exhausted by the cost of keeping their ancient buildings in good repair and that the nation’s heritage could suffer if more Government support is not provided. In a General Synod debate in London this week, the Archdeacon of Leeds will introduce a debate brought by the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, calling on the Government to fully fund all Grade 1 listed cathedrals and church buildings, which make up 45 per cent of all Grade 1 listed buildings in the country.

The Church of England’s ‘parliament’, the General Synod, is meeting at Church House Westminster this week, February 8th to the 13th. In its business on Thursday February 11, it will be asked to back the motion from the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds which calls on the Government to substantially increase the amount of money for the repair of all listed church buildings as well as to fully fund the repair of all Grade 1 listed church buildings.

Leading the debate, the Archdeacon of Leeds, the Venerable Peter Burrows says that the need for government support is now serious. The motion, he says, comes “out of a concern to preserve for future generations our national heritage, and a desire to maintain in good order our significant places of worship as living buildings to be used by the whole community.” 

In a background paper to the debate, (www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/feb2010/gspapers/gs1768.pdf), tabled in his name and that of the Very Revd Keith Jukes, the Dean of Ripon, Archdeacon Burrows adds, “ The sum total given by Government is ‘small’ compared to the funding of other heritage buildings and other institutions, and the burden on local and often small congregations is becoming increasingly exhausting. Equally such allocation as Government currently makes is considerably less than that offered by other European counterparts. More needs to be done if, as a Church and a nation, we are not to reach a situation in which buildings are lost to decay and the backlog of necessary repairs to many of our listed churches becomes totally unmanageable.”

The background paper concludes, “Appropriate funding of our listed buildings, particularly our Grade 1 Listed Buildings, is ... not only crucial to the Church of England’s mission and witness and the development of community cohesion but it is equally important if we are to continue in our role as guardians of national heritage. This motion recognises and appreciates the invaluable work and money that has already been committed and raised by local congregations to enable this but further identifies the cost and erosion to our national heritage and local communities should these invaluable resources be lost for good or put beyond proper use through neglect and disrepair.”

ENDS

Interview requests to Archdeacon Peter Burrows should be directed via the General Synod Press Office, 020 78981326

Details of the debate available at the Church of England website www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/feb2010/index.html

Issued by John Carter (Rev)
Press and Communications Officer, Diocese of Ripon and Leeds