A mosque committee will not step down until disagreements over controversial new membership fees are resolved – despite calls from some worshippers to resign – it has been confirmed.

The current board of trustees for Wycombe Islamic Mission and Mosque Trust – which runs Jubilee Road, Micklefield, Castlefield and Townfield House mosques – was elected for a two-year period in November 2015, but is still in power more than two and half years later, prompting confusion from some worshippers.

A petition set up by disgruntled mosque members calling for the board to resign and let “younger members of the community manage the mosque and introduce much needed reform” has so far had more than 345 signatures.

It comes off the back of a disagreement that erupted at Townfield mosque during Friday prayers back in September when worshippers became “unhappy” with plans to introduce a new membership fee.

In the days after the incident, Shafait Ali, secretary of the Wycombe Islamic Mission and Mosque Trust, said the disturbance was a result of plans to introduce a new £25 annual membership fee, which some worshippers were unhappy about.

Describing the issues with the old membership, Mr Ali said the committee felt a “large number” of the 8,000 names on their register “do not take any or any active interest in the affairs and objects of the company.”

The committee also said members may have passed away or moved area and were no longer needed on the register.

Around 840 people applied for new membership and paid the membership fee.

Following concerns about the new fee, the Charity Commission is said to have written to the mosque committee in February to say that the different parties “need to co-operate and work together using experienced solicitors to resolve the governance matters that have been interfering with the proper administration of this charity for some considerable time”.

According to Mr Ali, the Commission said it would be “inappropriate” to hold an election for a new committee while the issues surrounding membership remain “unsolved”.

He added: “The mosque committee agree that it is desirable that interested parties should work together and that, if the parties are motivated by the best interests of the charity, the issues regarding the governing document and membership should be capable of resolution. 

“With that in mind, and as suggested by the Charity Commission, the trustees have contacted the other interested parties, with a view to working out how best the issues can be resolved. 

“We have proposed an amended governing document for their consideration to resolve the ongoing issues with governance of the charity.

“The current trustees are keen to resolve the differences and agree a governing document which is fit for purpose, compliant with the current law and best practice and above all, deals with the issue of membership once and for all so that the future governance of the mosque is put on firm footing.

 “I can confirm that the elections will be held once an amended governing document is agreed and the membership issues are resolved.”