Agenda item

To receive updates relating to the SACRE budget, including the following:

·      An overview of the 2025-2026 SACRE budget, including the proposed forecast spend for 2025-2026.

·      To seek SACRE’s approval for the proposed spend of the SACRE budget for 2025-2026.

·      Update on the future reporting of the SACRE budget, including an Annual Budget Report and regular Budget Briefing’s.

This item provided an overview of the 2025-2026 SACRE budget, including the proposed forecast spend for 2025-2026, during which the following was discussed:

• The 2025/2026 SACRE budget, including the proposed forecast spend, was included within the agenda pack.
• Previously there was not an Annual Budget Report provided to SACRE members for the SACRE budget. Therefore, this budget item was added to the agenda to ensure that any decisions made relating to proposed spending of the budget, would be considered and/or agreed by SACRE members.
• In future a detailed Annual Budget Report would be provided to SACRE members every year, alongside a standard budget briefing which would be presented to SACRE members at every SACRE meeting. CYPS were working to establish which directorate within the Council would be responsible for the Annual Budget Report.
• The SACRE budget available for 2025/2026 was £5685.00, the proposed forecasted spend was £5178.00, this would create a balance of £517.00 left. The proposed spend was presented to SACRE members as follows:

§  £115.00- NASACRE annual subscription 2025/2026

§  £1,000.00- RE Conference keynote speaker

§  £813.00- RE Conference room hire and catering (based on an estimate of 50 delegates)

§  £1,750.00- RE Advisor to SACRE (V.Gregory for 5 days per year)

§  £1,500.00- RE Subject Leader facilitation (H Lambert, Chair of SACRE).

• Members noted that the proposed forecast spend required amending to include any associated costs for the RE Awards Ceremony, such as room hire, refreshments and certificate costs.
• Members were advised that there had been low take up of hiring the artefact boxes based at Rockingham, although this had been publicised via ROSIS and Subject Leader sessions. The RE Advisor and/or Chair would provide the Assistant Director for Education and Inclusion present, a short paragraph of text detailing what boxes were available, so this could be circulated to schools within the borough.
• The RE Advisor to SACRE advised that they had received a quote for Lat Blaylock to attend the RE Conference in January 2026, the quote was £1155.00 for the full day. This would be an increase to the proposed spend forecast factored into the 2025/2026 budget, as only £1000.00 had been budgeted for the RE Conference keynote cost. Historically the Conference was two days, one day for Primary and one day for Secondary, however the cost for both days would be £2310.00. Members discussed and agreed that research should be completed to see what other available options there were, rather than paying the same company and/ or individual to deliver the training.
• Previously there hadn’t been a large number of attendees at the RE Conference. Members were advised that during the previous year, the Conference was made free to all Rotherham schools wishing to attend and only under 50 attendees attended, this also included several teachers from Sheffield.
• It was clarified that any decision to make the conference free for Rotherham schools, should be considered and/or approved by SACRE members at a SACRE meeting in future.
• Members were asked to bear in mind the low attendance when considering the costs associated with the Conference. Members felt that spending up to £2000.00 for 30 Rotherham schools to attend a Conference would not be the best use of the SACRE budget. Therefore, the following two alternative proposals were discussed with SACRE Members:

§  That the option of hiring a keynote speaker is removed and the Conference be organised and hosted in January by SACRE Members and the SACRE RE Advisor, alongside inviting RE Leaders from schools and faith leaders to attend and present. This option would save SACRE between £1000.00- £2000.00.

§  That the Chair and SACRE RE Advisor host an additional Subject Leader Session in the spring term of 2026, instead of holding the RE Conference in January 2026, and that the allocated budget for the RE Conference be re-purposed and invested into the RE Awards Ceremony in Summer 2026.

Agreed Actions-

1)    That the Assistant Director for Education and Inclusion establish whether any remaining funds from the SACRE Budget can be rolled over into the next financial year.

2)    That the proposed forecasted spend budget table be amended to include the following:

§  A £1000.00 cost for the RE Awards Ceremony is added, to include room hire, refreshments and certificate costs.

3)    That the revised proposed forecasted budget be brought back to the next SACRE meeting for consideration and/or approval in December 2025.