In a guest post, Russell Sandberg analyses the latest judgment on humanism and religious education in schools.  The High Court decision in R (on the Application of Bowen) v Kent County Council [2023] EWHC 1261 (Admin) makes it clear that local authorities cannot exclude humanist representatives from their Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACREs). Although many SACREs already include humanists and this interpretation has been articulated in soft law, the judgment of Constable J is unambiguous on that point and presents a significant step forward. However, the judgment al ..read more

Charities Act 2022 implementation plan: update DCMS has updated the timetable for implementing the Charities Act 2022, as follows: Provisions expected to come into force in June 2023: Sections 9-14 and 35(a): Permanent endowment. Sections 17, 19-22: Charity land. Sections 25-28: Charity names. Section 38 and 39: Connected persons. Part of Section 40 and Schedule 2: Minor and consequential amendments. Provisions expected to come into force by the end of 2023: Section 1-3: Charity constitutions. Sections 18 and 23: Charity land. Section 24 and Sch 1: Amendments of the Universities and Co ..read more

On 22 May, the Home Secretary made a statement on the Government’s response to the final report of the Independent Investigation into Child Sexual Abuse. She told the House of Commons that the Government had accepted the need to act on 19 of IICSA’s 20 recommendations (but see the response to Recommendation 3), though she also told the House that the Government’s response was not the final word. It should also be noted that “accepting the need to act” on a recommendation is not exactly the same as accepting the recommendation in full. The Home Office is launching a redress scheme for survivors ..read more

ECtHR: request for an advisory opinion on the scope of Article 9 Protocol No. 16 ECHR allows the highest domestic courts and tribunals, as specified by those states parties that have ratified it, to request advisory opinions on questions of principle relating to the interpretation or application of the rights and freedoms defined in the ECHR or its Protocols. A Grand Chamber panel has accepted a request from the Belgian Conseil d’État / Raad van State in relation to an application lodged by a security guard before its administrative division. The Ministry of the Interior issued ID cards author ..read more

The Diocese of Oxford has issued the following Press Release on the completion of the governance of Christ Church Oxford by Dominic Grieve KC. Christ Church Oxford has published its own Press Release and the text of the Full Report. Dominic Grieve KC completes governance review of Christ Church, Oxford 10 May, Oxford – Dominic Grieve KC has completed his independent review of the governance of Christ Church, Oxford, and a report setting out recommendations to the Governing Body. Speaking on publication of the Report the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, said: “The Diocese of ..read more

As part of its policy on climate change, King’s College wished to place solar panels on both the north and south sides of the Chapel roof. In Re King’s College Chapel Cambridge [2023] ECC Ely 1, (“the principal judgment”) reviewed here, the court determined that a faculty would be granted either for their installation on both sides of the Chapel roof or only on the south side, depending upon an updated assessment of the potential carbon payback information. Additionally, the latter option was conditional on an assessment of the effect on the structure without an identical weight on the north r ..read more

And in the week when the Government announced that it was dropping the “sunset clause” from the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill … … Is it goodbye to the Bill of Rights Bill? On Monday, The Times reported that the Bill of Rights Bill is to be dropped and that the Ministry of Justice had told its reporters that the new Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk, had been “looking carefully” (and, presumably, critically) at the Bill: “A government source said: ‘Dom’s departure sounded the death knell for the bill of rights. It won’t be coming back, or at least not in any form that resembles the c ..read more

The Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, has issued the following statement: Independent Learning Lessons Review – Late Trevor Devamanikkam First published on: 13th May 2023 Following the publication of the independent lessons learnt review into the Church of England’s handling of allegations against the late Revd Trevor Devamanikkam, and the response of those criticised, the Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, having taken appropriate advice, yesterday required Lord Sentamu, Honorary Assistant Bishop in Newcastle Diocese, to step back from active ministry until both the find ..read more

The following Index was created during the preparation of the post Dastardly crime foiled by churchwarden, which was posted on 13 May 2023. L&RUK posts on lead theft Consistory court judgments L&RUK posts General information Consistory court judgments  Re St. Nicholas Addlethorpe [2015] Lincoln Const Ct, Bishop Ch. Use of Terne Coasted Stainless Steel, (CTS), for roofing following theft of lead. Re St Leonard Watlington [2016] ECC Oxf 3. The petitioners sought approval for the replacement of five cast iron downpipes and associated hoppers on a Grade II* listed church with ..read more

The theft of lead from church roofs is a recurring theme on L&RUK, and we have explored the development of the associated legislation and the considerations of the consistory courts on its like-for-like replacement or the substitution by alternative material; for these separate Index page is in prepartion. Earlier this year, the Lincolnshire Police reported on a successful outcome of its Operation Dastardly in which a  churchwarden led officers to suspects on the theft of church lead: “As part of our series on the three men sentenced for church lead thefts across the country, we ..read more