A LEADING figure in the Church of England has reiterated the church’s desire to sell a set of historic paintings currently on display in the North East.

A working party had been established to see whether 12 paintings by 17th-Century Spanish artist Francisco Zurbaran could remain in Auckland Castle, Durham, amid plans to sell them.

But the Church Commissioners, which manage the Church of England’s assets, is pressing ahead with the sale of the paintings and not attaching any conditions.

Speaking in the House of Lords, the Bishop of Leicester Tim Stevens said: “The sale of the paintings could raise at least £15m for the Church’s work across the country, especially in areas of the greatest need.

“The return on £15m when invested, plus saved insurance and security costs, is equivalent to the cost of about 10 priests in perpetuity, in addition to the support we already provide.”

Proper funding was required if the Church was to play its part in Big Society, said the Bishop in response to an attempt to force the commissioners to legally pay due regard to heritage issues before selling assets.

He said the Commissioners had a legal obligation to maximise support for the Church’s ministry and Government ministers should not be able to overrule them on that – although they should be accountable for their decisions. He said: “While the Commissioners are engaging with the working party that seeks to retain the pictures at Auckland Castle, they will not put conditions on the sale so that, ultimately, the purchaser will be in a position to decide what to do with them.”

Lord Derek Foster of Bishop Auckland, the former Labour MP for the area, said the Commissioners had sought to sell the castle and paintings three times over the past 15 years but been dissuaded from doing so. He said: “Now they are in discussion with Durham County Council and the group chaired by the Lord Lieutenant of Durham, of which I am a member. However, it would be enormously helpful if the Church Commissioners had a duty to pay due regard to national and local heritage. After all, the Zurbarans have been there for 250 years.

“They were bought for £150 by the bishop to celebrate the changing of the law in this place to extend the civil and political liberties of the Jews. What a wonderful thing he did 250 years ago.”

Leaked documents last year showed the Church of England was preparing the secret sale the Zubaran paintings, which show images of the Patriarch Jacob and his Twelve Sons.

The Bishop Auckland Civic Society and other local people are campaigning against the sale.