The Board met at the REC Officers with a smaller complement than usual due to Ofsted inspections and work/family crises all striking in the last few days. The meeting was however quorate. Potential conflicts of interest were recorded and the minutes of the meeting of 8th June 2017 were accepted.  Trevor welcomed Ffion Cook as the new REC office administrator and informed the Board that her predecessor, Sylwia Urbaniak, had been appropriately thanked for her work with REC. It was noted that Sylwia was going on to study for a secondary Maths PGCE at Canterbury Christ Church University.

Trevor briefly reported on his involvement on the secretariat of the Commission on RE (CoRE). He also reported that he had undertaken the annual appraisal with Rudi and that it had been decided to undertake a 360-degree appraisal of him as Chair led by Dave Francis. Finally, he again expressed his concern about the workload demand on the office.

Rudi then gave an extensive CEO’s report which updated the Board on a range of recent developments. These were:

  1. His diary
  2. The publication of the interim report from the Commission on Religious Education and the State of the Nation report produced by the joint PR committee that the REC and NATRE run together.
  3. The Labour and Conservative party conferences. The fringe events and stands both worked better than ever.
  4. The seminar run for the REC by the Charities Aid Foundation exploring financial sustainability.
  5. The work-plan for the year
  6. The GCSE and A level results
  7. The office staff appraisals
  8. The forthcoming changes to Board and committee membership.

Richy Thompson then took members through the Treasurer’s Report that will be presented to the SRGM. This records a currently satisfactory position, but with no room for complacency.

Two matters were discussed under the Company Secretary’s report. First, the final amendments to the new articles were explained. These will be shared with Council at the SRGM and then put to an EGM on 9th February 2018, having been subject the required notice period. Second, the Board discussed and supported the membership application from Quakers in Britain that will be presented at the SRGM.

The Board then had an extended discussion on the CoRE Interim report where each member shared what they thought were the two strengths of the report and the two hostages to fortune. This was designed to support members in making their own response. It was decided that the REC would not make a formal submission to the consultation, but would encourage its member organisations to do so.

The meeting concluded with a brief review of the minutes of the PR Group, the Governance Committee, the Education Committee and the Finance and Fundraising Committee.