Bishop of Truro refuses meeting while appointing expensive new head office team
The Bishop of Truro has curtly refused to meet campaigners fighting church cuts - while setting up a costly new unit to force through controversial multi-million pound changes in the Diocese. The Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen, this week refused outright to meet supporters of Save The Parish, who called for an open, honest and transparent audit of Diocesan finances, including costly evangelical initiatives like Transforming Mission in five towns in Cornwall. Mounstephen told the group he had been “mulling over a response” but had decided against a meeting because it had taken its concerns to the press. At the same time STP learned this week that the Diocese is recruiting a new Director of Change and Renewal to lead a team to push through its planned programme of cuts – at a salary of £45-50,000 per annum. “It’s extraordinary to think that the Bishop will not discuss our concerns. Yet this new appointment is a kick in the teeth to clergy and congregations across Cornwal...