P&R steps in over rectory dispute in western parishes
A long-running dispute between two parishes could be closer to being resolved with a new plan from Policy & Resources.
Torteval and St Saviour’s have been at loggerheads for years over the funding of the rectory in St Saviour’s, which is occupied by the priest who serves both parishes.
While St Saviour’s residents have had to bear the costs of maintenance, Torteval’s have paid nothing. Torteval is now sub-letting its own rectory as flats.
One of the arguments used by Torteval was that the 1923 parish taxation law required a parish to pay towards maintenance only of a rectory in its own parish, not one in another.
But if the States approve a proposed change to the law, if a rector is serving more than one parish then all the parishes served could use parochial taxes to contribute to maintenance costs.
But P&R is not proposing that the parishes would be legally bound to do so.
‘The committee acknowledges that this amendment may not necessarily lead to agreement between the two parties, but it will open up a potential way forward for the parishes of St Saviour’s and Torteval to reach a mutually acceptable solution,’ it said.
Since Torteval ceased to have its own rector it has shared one with one or more other parishes, but P&R noted that it had not made any contribution from parochial taxes to the costs of maintaining the parish rectory, and accepted that, in this case, the parishes had ‘reached an impasse’.
St Saviour’s has previously suggested that the costs be paid on a pro-rata basis for each of the parishes in a plurality.
Both parishes said they were unaware of the report being published – it was released by the States late on Monday – but St Saviour’s senior constable Paul Connolly was pleased.
‘That makes perfect sense,’ he said of the proposal. ‘We’ve wanted this change for many, many years. It’s a step in the right direction although I don’t think it’s a final solution.
‘Now the ball is in Torteval’s court.’
Torteval senior constable Becky Link said she only found out about P&R’s proposal, after it had been emailed to a former parish constable rather than to the current constables’ email address.
‘We’d heard nothing about it,’ she said. ‘We’ve sent it straight for legal advice.’
She said that the parish would not comment further until the douzaine had discussed the matter.
The P&R proposal is likely to be debated by the States before the end of the year.
