Thousands to be spent on churches’ improvements
St Leonard’s, Christ Church and St Mark’s getting grant funding
THREE Staffordshire Moorlands churches have been awarded grants to improve their facilities.
At last week’s meeting of the Moorlands Partnership Board, which is run by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, St Leonard’s Church in Ipstones, St Mark’s in Foxt and Christ Church in Biddulph Moor were successful in their grant applications.
Presenting the application to the board for St Leonard’s, regeneration officer Joanne Brookes said: “An application has been received from St Leonard’s Church warden for assistance to relay the existing path from the churchyard gate to the south porch.
“The church is grade II* listed and occupies an impressive location within Ipstones and the conservation area.
“The existing path is in much need of repair with broken and sunken stone flags. The project consists of relaying the flags, replacing any broken and reinstating a stone edging kerb to the path which is currently concrete.
“Two estimates have been received, the lowest of which totals £6,000.
“Members of the Board are recommended to approve a 75 per cent grant of £4,500 towards the cost of eligible works totalling £6,000 (exc of VAT). The work will be subject to the standard grant scheme conditions.”
Board member, Councillor Linda Malyon said: “This path needs the slabs fixing, disabled people can fall on the path.
Councillor Elsie Fallows said: “There are concerns in rural areas where slabs have been taken from churches. They need to be fixed.”
St Mark’s Church in Foxt is to receive a grant of £5,250.
Joanne Brookes said: “St Mark’s is a listed church lying in the village of Foxt and dated 1838.
“A cycle of restoration works began in 2009 with the reinforcement of the roof structure, refurbishment of the interior, providing hospitality amenities and repairs to the boundary walls and gate posts.
“The repair of the roof will be a culmination of the refurbishment works.
“The roof repairs consist of removing the existing tiles, to a height of one metre above the gutter line and replacing the felt, batons and lead flashing.
“The coping stones will also be lifted and re-bedded. Two estimates have
been received for the works the lowest of which totals £7,000.
“Members of the Board are recommended to approve a 75 per cent grant of £5,250 towards the cost of eligible works totalling £7,000 (exclusive of VAT). The work will be subject to the standard grant scheme conditions.”
Christ Church at Biddulph Moor is to receive £8,000.
The regeneration officer said: “The church is listed and dates from 1863.
“The church is suffering from water ingress due to a failed secret gutter.
“As a result the church is making an application to seek funding to help with the repair and replacement of the lead lined secret gutter.
“Two estimates have been received for the works, the lowest of which totals £45,718. The church has also been successful in securing a £5000 grant from Staffordshire Historic Churches Trust.
“Members of the Board are recommended to approve a maximum grant of £8,000 towards the cost of eligible works.
“The work will be subject to the standard grant scheme conditions and the following technical conditions including: All new materials brought to site must match the existing exactly; the appropriate code lead is used for the lining of the secret gutter and all mortar removal is undertaken using hand tools.”