GOOD news for those concerned with repairs to the roof of St George’s Church in Modbury, after no less an eminence than the leader of Devon County Council agreed to contribute to the cost.

Cllr John Hart has said he will provide money from his locality fund to add to the more than half-a-million pounds generated by the local ‘Raise the Roof’ campaign and grants.

The news comes after a protracted battle between the county council and church members over fees for the closure of a short section of public footpath around the church, necessary to erect scaffolding.

DCC has refused to waive the cost, totalling £1,500, of closing the path, despite the existence of another path on the other side of the church. St George’s parochial church council say anyone wishing to use the closed public right of way will merely have to walk the other way round the church to rejoin the footpath.

And, according to the PCC, this is the route taken by most people anyway, as it is sunnier, and leading as it does past the church entrance is both wider and flatter.

Earlier this month, DCC admitted it had exhausted the possible ways of saving or reducing the fee.

But thanks to Cllr Hart’s donation, at least it may now not have to be paid from the hard-won proceeds of fundraising or grant applications.