To consider any implications arising from any changes to the 2013/14 SACRE budget.

The Consultant for RE declared a pecuniary interest and left the meeting for the duration of this item.

SACRE considered the implications arising from reductions to the 2013/14 SACRE budget.

The Chairman provided a brief overview of the Council’s budget position for 2013/14 and future years emphasising the range and degree of cuts being imposed.  In accordance with the resolution at the last meeting he had spoken to the Cabinet Member (Education and Infrastructure) concerning SACREs budget position.

The Lead Officer to SACRE reported that in common with the majority of the Council’s budgets the SACRE budget for 2013/14 had been reduced. The current budget of £11,752 would reduce to £4,718 being a cut of 60%. 

As the Council didn’t have any in-house specialist for Religious Education the SACRE budget was principally used to employ a Consultant on an annual contract basis.  The current budget supported 20 days of consultancy advice and was used to support schools and provide advice to SACRE.  As the contract for the Consultant needed to be re-tendered, and in view of the greatly reduced budget, the Lead Officer sought SACREs views concerning where the budgetary emphasis should be placed.

SACRE greatly appreciated the valuable support and breadth of knowledge provided by the RE Consultant.  However, with this support being reduced from 20 to around 8 days it was agreed to reduce the number of SACRE meetings so that the emphasis of the support could continue to be given to supporting RE in schools.

SACRE noted that the Annual Conference would not be affected as it was run by RE Today on a self-funding basis.

It was noted that the process of reviewing the RE Agreed Syllabus 2011-2016 would normally commence in the financial year 2013/14 and be resourced via the SACRE budget.   The Democratic Services Officer advised that the Local Authority is required to review the Syllabus every five years by setting up an Agreed Syllabus Conference and therefore the Local Authority would need to give serious consideration as to how it intended to resource this work.

SACRE debated whether it wished to continue with its membership fee to NASACRE.

The Lead Officer warned that both her time and the Democratic Services Officer’s time may in the future be costed to SACRE.

The Lead Officer to SACRE suggested there may be an opportunity to encourage teachers themselves to form an informal RE Strategy Group.  Such a group may be able to undertake information gathering or dissemination work in schools and provide a degree of advice to SACRE, however, she was open to suggestions for its terms of reference.

A point was made that with school budgets being reduced teachers may not be able to volunteer for informal meetings as they may have in the past.

RESOLVED:

a)    That the SACRE budget for 2013/14 be noted with disappointment;

b)    The number of SACRE meetings be reduced to two per year initially November and March but be reviewed for future years to ensure that meetings be held to coincide with relevant business;

c)    The Lead Officer to SACRE commences investigations into setting up an informal RE Strategy Group.

d)    That the NASACRE membership should not be renewed; and

e)    That Members communicate directly with the Lead Officer any suggestions concerning areas the RE Strategy Group could work on.