A church in Worcestershire has been told by the Charity Commissioners that it would be “reasonable” for it to decide not to register chancel-repair liability (CRL) against 30 households in its parish….
The PCC of St Eadburgha’s, Broadway, began the process of registering liability during an interregnum, after advice from the legal advisory commission of the General Synod, which encouraged PCCs to “register their interest at HM Land Registry”. Parishioners were unhappy about the process.
When the Revd Michelle Massey was appointed Priest-in-Charge, she looked for a way forward. Working with the diocese and the MP for Mid Worcestershire, Peter Luff, she contacted the Charity Commission for “Formal Advice” under Section 110 of the Charities Act 2011, arguing that enforcing their CRL “asset” would impair the mission of the church in their community….