National Association of Local Councils solicitors have advised that Councils are prohibited from involvement in property relating to the affairs of the church e.g. the maintenance or improvement of buildings or land or contributing to the costs.
The NALC can find no legal power that enables the Parish Council to fund the cutting of the grass in the Churchyard.
The Parish Council has the responsibility to consider whether it is prudent to take a course of action that it cannot be certain is legally valid.
The Church is responsible for the upkeep of the churchyard; they cannot demand the Parish Council cuts the grass.
If the church thinks they have found a power that would enable the PC to cut the grass they should give sight of it to the PC and EALC will take this power to the NALC solicitors for consideration.
The grass cutting for the churchyard is £320 per cut at 18 cuts a year it costs £5760