Legislation clarifying that parish and town councils can provide support to churches for repairs and improvements has cleared its final stages in the House of Lords.
A Government amendment to the Bill makes it clear that local authorities can provide grants for parish churches or places of worship, following many years of legal uncertainty.
The clarification comes after the Taylor Review of the Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals, published in 2017, proposed a clarification through guidance or a change in the law.
The amendment was introduced after the Bishop of Bristol, Viv Faull highlighted the need for clarification of the law during the Bill’s Committee Stage in the House of Lords.
Bishop Viv, who is the Church of England’s joint lead bishop on church buildings, said: “This amendment brings clarity to the law which will give local authorities confidence to awards grants to local church buildings to enable them to serve their communities better.
DAC Secretary for the Diocese of Chester, Caroline Hilton (pictured right) welcomes the news, "This clarification that local authorities can provide grant support to churches for repairs and improvements is important in that it opens up possible avenues for churches, parishes, and town councils to work together more collaboratively. This could be of crucial help for parishes seeking funding for works that need to be carried out to keep their buildings fit for purpose supporting the mission and engagement of the church in the community."