Our churches have been at the centre of our community for hundreds of years. First and foremost, they provide a place for Christians in our corner of Lincolnshire to come together in prayer. They are also a welcoming place where our whole community can come together in times of sorrow, but also celebration.
Thanks to the dedication of generations of local clergy, churchwardens and congregations, so many of our historic local churches continue to be maintained. However, at a national scale, despite these efforts, the National Churches Trust estimates that the Church of England alone has a backlog of repairs estimated at over £1 billion, with an annual repair bill at £150 million.
We must not allow our churches, so often the guardians of our heritage, to fall into damage and disrepair. That is why I have always been keen to support the efforts of our local churches wherever I can.
The previous Government provided up to £42 million per year of direct financial support for places of worship towards repairing roofs, masonry and items such as turret clocks, pews, bells and pipe organs. Through the Listed Places of Worship Scheme (LPWS) grants are provided covering the VAT on repairs of over £1,000 to listed buildings used as places of worship.
Over the years, so many churches of all sizes in our area especially have benefitted from this funding. These include almost £12,000 for St Mary’s Church in Marston, over £45,000 for St James the Great Church in Aslackby, and more than £2,500 for Bourne Methodist Church.
The largest and most famous church in our area, St Wulfram’s Church in Grantham, has benefitted from this scheme by over £15,000 since 2022, supporting the preservation of this architectural treasure so it can continue to be used by future generations.
However, this vital funding for our churches is now under threat. Following months of uncertainty, I was very frustrated last month that the Labour Government quietly announced their decision to implement a new Worship Tax, slashing the Listed Places of Worship Scheme’s annual funding by £19 million and introducing a cap on the amount individual places of worship can claim.
According to Historic England, almost 1,000 places of worship across the country remain at risk from neglect, decay or inappropriate development. Sadly, despite significant ongoing efforts by local residents, clergy, and churchwardens, a number of churches in our area are on this list.
I visited one of these churches, St James’ Church in Woolsthorpe, just last week to meet the local vicar who does such excellent work to maintain this church and others nearby. She and others like her across Lincolnshire very much deserve our support.
This decision by the Government threatens so much of our local and national heritage. This cannot be allowed to happen, so I will continue to do what I can to call on the Government to think again.
