Parish officials satisfied that church is well looked after
THE Vale Church has been commended by parish officials for its good housekeeping and delivering value for money for ratepayers.
Members of the douzaine went on a fact-finding tour of the church on Saturday in the run-up to the publication of the parish budget, known as the remede.
Senior constable Richard Leale said it was a very useful visit.
‘It’s all very well sitting in a committee set-up and someone says “we want X number of pounds to do this, that and the other”.
'If you’re not very practically minded you’re going to scratch your head and think “well I don’t know if that’s right or not, or if it’s even worth doing”.
‘So occasionally it’s worth coming out and actually viewing and seeing properly what’s needed.
‘There have been concerns over is it value for money, does this actually really need doing, and perhaps could it be done cheaper?
‘We’re reassured that there is good housekeeping.’
Last year ratepayers in the Vale were asked for more than half a million pounds, with the refuse collection taking up the lion’s share.
The Vale remede also pays for street lighting, upkeep of the cemeteries, maintaining the playground at Les Amarreurs, and last year just over £27,000 was for parish church needs.
In an increasingly secular world, questions are starting to be raised across the parishes about why ratepayers should financially support their parish church.
Archaeologists believe there was a Christian community on the site of the Vale Church from about 600AD, and the church itself was dedicated in 1117.
Douzenier Andre Quevatre, the parish representative on the Vale Church Management Board, said the historic building belonged to everyone in the parish.
‘My stance has always been that it should be maintained correctly and appropriately in the same way that other important ancient monuments should be.
‘I don’t see any difference between maintaining this and Castle Cornet and Fort Grey and so on, it’s part of our heritage.
‘I think we all agreed this morning that it’s in good condition, it’s not looking shabby, it’s not falling apart, but that is because every year there are jobs undertaken to make sure that doesn’t happen.
‘And of course being an old building, there’s always something that needs to be done and anything that needs to be done has to be carried out appropriately.
'Even plastering has to have the right sort of materials.’
Any parishioner with questions has been encouraged to go and look at the church, which is open every day, and go along to the next parish meeting.
