NON-CHRISTIANS should not have to pay for Town Church refurbishments through their parish rates, a St Helier assembly has been told.

Brian Miller told a recent rates assembly that, as he did not believe in God, he should not have to pay rates towards the £700,000 refurbishment of the Town Church and that to do so discriminated against all other religions.

Parishioners were told on Thursday that the plan was to refurbish the church over three years at a total cost of £725,000, with the sum of £155,000 coming out of rates in the coming year.

Mr Miller said that the Church of England were wealthy landowners in the UK and as Jersey came under the diocese of Winchester it was not up to the parish to pay for the Town Church’s upkeep.

‘I don’t mind parishioners funding the proposed new playgrounds for children, but I object to religious orders receiving those funds.

I shouldn’t have to contribute towards something I don’t believe in,’ Mr Miller said.