Cyril Pike speaks out.

Cyril Pike, a founder member of the disbanded St Michael’s Church Management Committee, which raised �38,000 and equipped the church with modern toilet and shower facilities, says members were not consulted about “the committee being made redundant”.

“My gripe is that at no time have we been asked what we would like to do with St Michael’s,” he told the meeting.

“I feel we’ve been made a scapegoat for them to get their hands on that money.”

Mr Pike was referring to �21,000 raised for a new heating system and car park facilities at St Michael’s.

Mr Pike said a collection bowl was put out at the Thursday services for one month only - and that was several years ago. He believed no collections had been taken at St Michael’s for a period of up to four years.

Joan Cox, who has lived in Honiton for 85 years, said: “Bowls are not put out any more. They were put out for a month and nothing was put in them.”

Noel Page-Turner said: “I have a great deal of sympathy for those involved in running St Paul’s Church and the parish.

“It is no easy task to run two churches, but I do feel this is very negative. I think we should be more positive about solving this problem.”