The Evening Press has received numerous calls, letters and emails over the past fortnight, in the wake of the furore over now-abandoned plans to close the Minster library and also the introduction of admission charges to the cathedral.

People have made a range of allegations about York Minster finances and expenditure, some relating to the former Dean of York, the Very Reverend Raymond Furnell.

We put some of the key points raised to Minster Chapter Steward Peter Lyddon, and today we publish the questions and his answers.

1. It has been claimed that the appeal to buy a set of bells to mark the Queen Mother's 100th birthday fell considerably short of its target, and that the Dean and Chapter had to pay a substantial sum from its funds to ensure the bells could be paid for. Is this true? If so, how much?

The Millennium appeal for a set of six chiming bells for the Minster to mark the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother fell short of the original target of £250,000. Prior consultation with a lot of advisors had left the Chapter feeling that the combination of new bells in Millennium year allied to the Queen Mother's birthday was definitely worth pursuing. Some time after the launch of the appeal in February 2000 by the Duke of York, it became apparent that the target was unlikely to be met. The Chapter reduced the requirement to a target of £190,000. In the end only £70,000 was raised from the general public and therefore the shortfall was paid by three underwriters, the Chapter, the Friends of York Minster and the York Minster Fund, at a cost of £40,000 each.

2. It has been claimed that the Dean and Chapter went on an expenses-paid trip to the vineyards of France before launching a Minster wine some years ago. Is this true, and was the expenditure justified?

In 1995, the Chapter decided to market a special label bottle of red wine in the Minster Shop. A member of Chapter and the shop manager went at the invitation of the vineyard in France to sample the product and discuss the design of the special label. The profit on the sale of the wine, which was very popular, has more than covered the cost of the trip and continues to be a good revenue earner for the shop.

3. An employee says he and others were given redundancy notices on the same weekend a lavish garden party was held for 300 people to mark Dean Furnell's departure. He feels this was insensitive and hurtful. Do you agree? How much did the garden party cost?

It is traditional in the Church of England that any retiring priest is given a lunch by the Church Community that he has served. This was the case with Dean Furnell. There was no suitable alternative venue for the lunch so a marquee was erected in the Dean's garden to house about 300 people who wished to say farewell. No outside caterers were involved. The plated salad meal was prepared in house by a team of volunteers from the congregation. The cost of the lunch was £7.60 per head.

The employee was given his notice of redundancy on Friday, June 6. He is currently on his notice period and leaves the employ of the Chapter at the end of August.

4. Several people have claimed that Raymond Furnell is still in post as Dean and being paid full salary until October, even though he has left York and the public believes he has retired. Is this so, and if so, why?

The Dean is paid by the Church Commissioners, not the Minster. All clergy of the Church of England are strongly encouraged to take a three-month leave every seven years of their ministry. Dean Furnell decided some time ago that he would take his sabbatical at the end of his tenure. He had never taken any sabbatical leave during his 37 years as a priest. He finally retires on August 31, not in October.

5. It has been claimed that an expensive outside firm is being brought in next month to train staff up prior to the introduction of admission charges, at a cost of thousands of pounds. Is this justified?

As you would expect, the staff are receiving additional training prior to the introduction of charging on August 2. The company which is doing the training is doing so free of charge.

6. It has been claimed that Dean Furnell regularly travelled First Class on trains and Business Class in planes. Also that the Dean received a new car annually, and that Dean and Canons receive BUPA membership. Are these claims true and, if so, are they justified? Is it also true as claimed that the Canons' perks include items such as toilet paper and light bulbs? Is an itemised list of Dean and Chapter expenses available?

Most of the time, the Dean travelled to London to attend external meetings at no cost to the Chapter. On the very few occasions he travelled long distance by air, he went Business Class due to time pressures and the need to start work immediately at his planned destination.

Dean Furnell had a car to assist him in carrying out his duties as part of his ministry. It was a small car which was replaced once during his tenure.

The Dean and Canons are not in the BUPA scheme. These items (toilet paper and light bulbs) are not routinely issued to the Canons.

Updated: 10:46 Friday, July 04, 2003