MOST people want a change to the system of parish churches being maintained by ecclesiastical rates. And less than a third want ratepayers to have to keep paying for rectories.

At 41%, the status quo for church maintenance was the most popular single choice among respondents to the Parochial Ecclesiastical Rates Review Committee’s public consultation.

But 59% wanted change, although they differed as to what that change should be.

Thirty-five per cent thought that the Church of England should pick up the bill, 15% favoured a voluntary opt-in for ratepayers to pay for their church and 9% thought that funding should come from States taxation.

Questionnaires were sent to about 26,000 homes and more than 2,100 were returned, along with 430 individual written responses.

Committee chairwoman Diane Lewis was pleased with the 10% response.

Deputy Lewis said it was clear that there was a strong sense of parish pride in the churches and the public feeling seemed to be in favour of the status quo.

‘I am delighted that so many people took this opportunity to tell us what they thought. The results make interesting reading.’

Ecclesiastical rates form part of each parish’s occupier’s rate. Parishioners beneficially own their church property. The Church of England is the main user of each as a place of worship.

People were asked to consider:

* The current occupier’s rate system.

* The States of Guernsey, via taxation.

* The Church of England.

* A voluntary system whereby the residents can choose whether to pay as part of the occupier’s rate.

Many respondents favoured funding from a mixture of sources and Deputy Lewis said this would be considered further.

She said Perrc had already heard from douzaines of the strong parish feeling towards preserving the churches and this civic pride certainly came through.

‘Many thought the church was a symbol of parish identity and a community asset which was historically very important.’

In many cases this support was not linked to the churches’ religious purpose or the frequency with which people used them.

But people saw the parish rectories as more of a benefit to the Church of England than a community asset.

Almost half the respondents – 46% – considered that the Church of England should fund their maintenance.

Deputy Lewis clarified that the Church did meet most of the running costs of the churches and the rectories, where rectors use them.

The Church of England has come under fire for selling off countless vicarages across the country to help fill budget deficits, which, among other costs, have been exacerbated by mounting clergy pensions.

The report on finances last week at the General Synod in York stated that more than £100m. had been raised through sales of often historic premises during the last five years.

Deputy Lewis said Perrc would take full account of the respondents’ views when making its recommendations to the States.

It would also consider other issues, including the difficulties the smaller parishes had in meeting the large maintenance costs.

‘The parish is the beneficial owner but currently that seems to mean that it has to meet all the costs for upkeep but has few of the benefits of ownership, such as being able to use the church for a range of purposes,’ she said.

‘It is important that the final system is seen to be fair.’