I AM writing in response to the letter from the Rev Linda Riley-Dawkin regarding the closure of Chapelfield Community Centre.

In February 2013, trustees for Methodist Church Purposes (the national trustees for the Methodist Church) advised the Sankey Valley Methodist Circuit that it was not possible for Chapelfield Community Centre Charity Ltd to continue to manage the Methodist property at Chapelfield on the current basis.

Negotiations began between representatives from the Methodist Circuit and the Chapelfield Trustees to try to put in place a lease agreement that was acceptable to all.

When it became clear that lease payments would be difficult for Chapelfield trustees to meet, the Methodist circuit offered to support the continuing work with a grant for two years, effectively reimbursing the lease payments, with a further grant of £10,000 for the following eight years.

It was hoped that this would give Chapelfield trustees the time and financial support to consider their work and finances going forward. However, in April the Chapelfield trustees informed the Methodist circuit that they could not afford to enter into a lease, even with this support, and would therefore have to close down the charity.

The Methodist Circuit has tried for over a year to find a solution but sadly has been unable to do so.

We deeply regret the loss of the community centre as a valuable facility for the community.

On June 12 the circuit received a letter from the Rev Peter Dawkin on behalf of the Anglican Churches of St Michael’s with St Thomas Church and St Basil and All Saints, Widnes, with an offer of £50,000 to purchase the Methodist property. The property had been valued at £200,000.

Under charity law and Methodist regulations the circuit is expected to behave responsibly with its assets and that requires achieving market value when premises are sold. Therefore the circuit did not accept the Anglican Church’s offer and will put the premises on the open market.

REV LUCILLE ROGERS
Supt minister Sankey Valley Methodist Circuit