I was rather taken aback that the Tory Executive made a wise decision in refusing the URC bid for £25 000 last night. To fund an enhanced entrance and piazza to the church is something that the Council taxpayer should not be paying for. Surely the church can raise these funds seperately from the members in their congregation without residents (many of whom do not attend church or have no faith) having to pay for it.

But please don’t get me wrong. I have no problem with the council funding churches for strictly community-based activities that benefit the whole community and not just the congregations they serve. This is why I welcome the £50 000 granted to St Paul’s Church in Maybury for an improved footpath/cycleway, disabled toilets and improved access to the Community Hall, which is widely used by over 200 people in the community each week. They also serve a community that is not particularly well-off.

I am glad that the Executive are thinking carefully about how we fund our churches and more careful consideration should be given to how and if we fund them in future – particularly because many of them are quite wealthy as it is and can raise the funds themselves.