Plan unveiled to grant churches £50,000 annually for maintenance

States Members are set to consider a proposal that would provide £50,000 annually to each of the island’s 12 parish churches to help cover maintenance costs.

The amendment, put forward outside the Government of Jersey’s main budget plans, would allocate £600,000 a year from the arts, culture and heritage fund through to 2031. The money would be used to support essential repairs and safeguard the structural condition of the historic church buildings.

Introducing the proposal, Constable Karen Shenton-Stone told said that the funding would help protect “important historic community buildings”. She noted that many of the churches, which rely largely on parish funding, faced “extremely costly problems with damp”.

Shenton-Stone highlighted that the churches—each of which gives its name to one of the island’s parishes—date back to the 11th Century and are all listed. Beyond religious services, she said, the buildings also play a wider role in community life.

“We often focus on conserving castles, but our most significant historic community buildings are the 12 parish churches,” she said. “These iconic structures form part of our shared heritage and require substantial investment to keep them in good condition.”

The amendment is scheduled to be debated by deputies on 8 December.