Ecclesiastical Court opens its books to public for first time
MORE than £6.5m. has been collected through the Church of England's Ecclesiastical Court during the last decade, figures show, after the Guernsey Press was given full access to its never previously publicly-released accounts.
There have been years of pressure and previous requests to past officials,
But now the new Dean of Guernsey, the Very Rev. Tim Barker, has stepped forward to release full accounts and financial statements dating back to 2009 for the court, which derives a majority of its income from probate.
He has also provided the accounts of the Deanery Fund LBG, established in 2013, which uses surplus income from the court to support community and charity projects and has helped to fund Church of England property maintenance and works in Guernsey.
This has provided £440,000 towards charitable causes, the biggest of which is the £257,763 purchase of 35, Mill Street for use as the Caritas Community Cafe.
Separate to this, there has also been £220,000 given towards repairs at four vicarages.
