CAMPAIGNERS fighting to safeguard the future of a village community centre have expressed disappointment a leading church official has postponed his visit.
The Rt Revd Nick Baines, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Leeds, was to visit Startforth next month to meet villagers who fear the centre, which used to be the village school, could be sold off.
The building is part owned by the Church of England, which says that as it is no longer used for educational purposes its original trust document should be changed.
An application for such a change has been made to the Department for Education, a move that villagers believe could be the precursor to selling the building, which is also part owned by Durham County Council.
The bishop along with the archdeacon and deacon were due to visit the centre on Friday, September 29, meeting representatives from the parish council, local church and community centre volunteers. However, a spokesperson from the Diocese of Leeds informed the parish council they would be postponing their visit.
A spokesperson for the Anglican Diocese of Leeds said: “A planned visit by the Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds to meet interested parties at Startforth Community Centre has been delayed until after a decision from the Department for Education (DfE) regarding its future.
“When the September date was agreed, it was very much hoped that decision would have been received, so that frank and constructive conversations could take place with the all the facts on the table.
“Bishop Nick is looking forward to help plan positive progress and the diocese is fully aware of the importance of this matter to local people.
“The diocese is liaising with Startforth Parish Council to arrange a meeting at the earliest opportunity after the DfE’s decision has been received.”
Parish council chairman Cllr Pat Estall said: “We are disappointed they have postponed the visit. We would have liked to have had the discussion. He has chosen not to go forward until the decision from the DfE is made and we will go from there.”
Vicar for the lower Teesdale Benefice, which includes Startforth, the Rev David Tomlinson, added: “I was saddened by the decision of the bishop to postpone his visit until some future date as I saw this as an opportunity for both the diocesan senior team and the local parish to listen well to each other.
“This could then have begun to build a trust foundation which would have enabled healthy dialogue in the months to come.”
