Mission budgets may be cut to fund C of E bishop's palaces

The rising cost of maintaining the palaces of Church of England bishops may be met by cutting spending on parish missions it emerged yesterday.

Figures released at the church's general synod ('parliament') in London showed that the church's spending on bishops, including their official residences, has risen by 40% in two years, from £20.7m to £29.5m.

To accommodate the costs, the house of bishops privately agreed last month to give a lower priority to sustaining the church's £4.7m parish mission fund - the money spent on maintaining its local proselytising efforts - and even to cutting spending on books for theological students completely, reports the Guardian newspaper. Read more