Last year a parish meeting agreed to sell the rectory, currently occupied by Dean of Guernsey and St Andrew’s rector the Very Rev. Tim Barker and his wife, who are due to retire and leave the island in the summer.
But it is proving to be a difficult sell at £2.75m. Two estate agents were instructed, but they have secured no offers or repeat viewings, the douzaine reported at the parish meeting. The meeting agreed to bring in a third agency to market the property.
It had already been decided to use the money from the sale on the conversion of the barn into a new dwelling, for use as a rectory.
Last month’s meeting also agreed to reallocate an unspent balance of £98,719 instead for use on the church and the barn, and only to be used on necessary repairs to the rectory prior to a sale.
The meeting was told that the barn had sustained roof damage during Storm Goretti and required further structural work before residential renovations can begin. It is expected that this cost alone will be in the region of £400,000.
All those at the meeting thanked Mr Barker for his decade of service as Dean and as their rector. He will be moving back to the UK at the end of June.
‘The parish meeting is a very distinctive part of Guernsey’s life,’ he said.
‘We are so well served in this parish by the constables and the douzeniers, and it’s a really important bit of public service. It’s been a huge joy and privilege to be rector of St Andrew’s. I will look back on my time here with great affection.
The meeting was told that the constables wished to focus on accentuating the parish’s heritage this year, with plans to introduce a history trail and repair the guttering of La Fontaine de St Clair.
The parish elected Godfrey Gilbert and Ray Watts to serve on the parochial church management board this year. And Jo Farrell was appointed to join the parochial cemetery committee.
A moment’s silence was held for Howard Roberts, the former people’s warden of St Andrew’s who passed away last year. No nominations were put forward to fill the vacancy.