Red tape stunts gardens growth

BUREAUCRATS have been blamed for putting the brakes on a £30,000 scheme to spruce-up the grounds of Oldham Parish Church.

Work on the churchyard started several months ago and was to be part of this summer’s Bloom and Grow, Oldham’s North-West in Bloom entry.

The overhaul was to include lockable gates, new benches, re-aligning paths, removing overgrown shrubs and new planting — opening it up to discourage drunks from congregating and to attract visitors in.

Oldham Council is responsible for maintenance of the churchyard and the work was funded with money it receives from developers to compensate for the loss of open space or amenities.

The diocese says the council started the work without the necessary approval from an ecclesiastical judge. But Councillor Jackie Stanton, opposition Liberal Democrat deputy leader, said it was now taking several months to receive this permission and should have taken a matter of weeks.

“We had huge plans to have the churchyard as part of Bloom and Grow. They wanted to have an event in the churchyard, maybe to get the music centre to play there at a picnic in the park,” said Councillor Stanton. “The vicar and the PCC (Parochial Church Council) are at a loss as to why the diocese has put the brakes on it.

“What they do not realise is it has delayed things, shuffling papers around. Planting has a small window and it has gone this year.

“It’s just very puzzling. You would think if someone comes along and says ‘we want to improve your grounds’ you would say ‘do it’. They have had vandalism in there, it has become a place where undesirables have congregated and caused problems for the police.

A spokesman for Manchester Diocese said: “Faculty jurisdiction is a statutory system for ensuring all works to churches and churchyards are planned and carried out with proper consideration.

“The faculty is a licence issued by an ecclesiastical judge known as the chancellor on behalf of the bishop, permitting work to be carried out.

“Oldham Council began major works in the churchyard without obtaining a faculty.

“The chancellor advised that an application for a faculty should be made and pending the outcome of that application all works should cease. The matter is ongoing.”