The wife of the Dean of Wakefield Cathedral has sent a campaigning ditty to the Chancellor in protest of plans to introduce VAT on alterations to listed buildings.The song has been recorded and posted to YouTube.
It shows Pam Greener wearing a hardhat and playing her keyboard in amongst the scaffolding set up in the nave of the cathedral.
After four years of fundraising, the cathedral finally started work last month to renovate the Grade 1 listed building, taking up the floors and selling the pews.
Just days later, Chancellor George Osborne unveiled the VAT increase in his Budget, throwing the £5m redevelopment scheme into jeopardy.
Renovation work to modernise the cathedral was due to be completed in a year’s time, to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the former All Saints parish church being granted cathedral status – a move that simultaneously gave Wakefield its city status.
Church of England churches account for 45% of all Grade 1 listed buildings in England.
A petition launched by the cathedral in opposition to the change has gathered more than 5,000 signatures.
Cathedral Dean, the Very Rev Jonathan Greener described the VAT hike as “crippling” and “unfair”.
He appealed to people with a love of heritage to back the petition.
“This added unforeseen cost paralyses us here – we can’t go backwards and we can’t go forwards,” he said.
“This is a terrible tragedy for our nation’s rich and varied heritage and it must be stopped. Being listed means we have already gained recognition for our specialness and with that comes a obligation to ensure we maintain the highest standard of care and worksmanship – including expensive materials and specialist craftsmen. It is hard enough to look after these buildings on the behalf of the nation in the first place, without having to cope with an unforeseen tax burden brought in at short notice with little thought. What a small-minded change from a Big Society Government which purports to encourage our voluntary groups to take ownership and responsibility for our historic and important listed buildings.”
The campaign is being backed by the Bishop of London and Tony Baldry MP, who have written to the Chancellor to voice their serious concerns about the plans.
On the web:
epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32229
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEWgVkBKpeI