Thinking Anglicans

Former ISB members cut links to review

The Church Times reports that “TWO former Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB) members [Jasvinder Sanghera and Steve Reeves] have announced that they have ceased to co-operate with the independent review of the ISB’s demise. They have concerns about the reviewer’s remit.”

Jas Sanghera has posted on X/Twitter that  “At no point have ⁦@churchofengland⁩ engaged with us on terms of reference for this review, despite our numerous request. This is in effect CofE marking it’s own homework & not consulting with the very ppl it concerns. Shocking”.

Steve Reeves has posted that “the Church, with a remit solely defined by the Church, and excluding events critical of the Church, won’t tell anything like the true story.”

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Adrian
Adrian
10 months ago

Oh dear! Mind you, no surprises here for me. An old familiar pattern allegedly repeated. Very sad, and the losers include truth, the victims, Jasvinder and Steve, the ++bishop’s council, and the wider Church for whom open, transparent and honest truth telling is much needed.

Susanna ( no ‘h’)
Susanna ( no ‘h’)
Reply to  Adrian
10 months ago

This is just what David Lamming reported before GS via Surviving Church, so no surprises at all. The CT has also reported on the resignation of Rev Andrew Croft, which hasn’t made it here yet- interesting that he is now saying he is a victim of Mike P- thanks to the work of the National Safeguarding team….
I’m not sure why you count the Bishop’s council among the losers? From my chair it looks rather as though they have orchestrated and conducted it the whole performance.

David Lamming
David Lamming
Reply to  Susanna ( no ‘h’)
10 months ago

Susanna, although I work closely with Martin Sewell, it was Martin’s, not my, post on Surviving Church on 13 November ‘General Synod Safeguarding Newsletter’ which reported that Jasvinder and Steve had been “obliged to decline engagement with the ISB Review which is being conducted by barrister Sarah Wilkinson.” While I understand their decision, personally I think that on this occasion it s mistaken. In any event, I can confirm that, as part of the evidence for her review, Sarah has the transcript of the speeches Jasvinder and Steve made at General Synod on 9 July 2023 and which, currently, the… Read more »

Adrian
Adrian
Reply to  Susanna ( no ‘h’)
10 months ago

Hi,
I think that the Archbishops’ Council could benefit from being told the truth, since it is as though it is either unable to recognise it, or is not allowed to hear it. In safeguarding matters, that is.

David G
David G
Reply to  Susanna ( no ‘h’)
10 months ago

The casual way in which the Archbishops’ Council constantly lies and misleads the public, media,synod and CofE, constantly aided and abetted by their lawyers, communications and secretariat, destroys any trust or confidence in the word of the bishops and archbishops. Their public statements can no longer be taken at face value any more, much less believed. A tragic state of affairs to have arrived at for a national church, and one that fewer and fewer want to have any part of.

Malcolm Dixon
Malcolm Dixon
10 months ago

As Jasvinder has said, this is indeed shocking, but not even slightly surprising, as it confirms that the Archbishops’ Council has not changed its tack in any way. It continues to regard the prime objective as defending the reputation of the CofE, not apparently having noticed that the CofE’s reputation for Safeguarding is shot to pieces. Further attempts to pursue this line will only attract further criticism and make the task of rebuilding any reputation all the harder. They appear to have learned nothing from the ‘car crash’ debate at July GS on the Sunday afternoon, where synod members finally… Read more »

peterpi - Peter Gross
peterpi - Peter Gross
10 months ago

The older I get, the more cynical I become. I’m saddened by it, but living long is a powerful teacher.
Regardless of the theology or physics (some people blame entropy), the Universe is imperfect and therefore people are imperfect. And large organizations like the CofE, are people on a larger scale.
It’s sad that these two people felt they have to leave the ISB, but the first instinct of most institutions when accused of horrendous behavior is denial and delay.

Rowland Wateridge
Rowland Wateridge
Reply to  peterpi - Peter Gross
10 months ago

To be clear, they have never ‘felt that they have to leave the ISB’ – they were sacked (or, if you prefer, fired) from it – a different scenario. They are refusing to support the official review for reasons which are clear from their short statements.

peterpi - Peter Gross
peterpi - Peter Gross
Reply to  Rowland Wateridge
10 months ago

To Rowland Wateridge, Janet Fife, and Graham Holmes, my apologies for misstating how Jasvinder Sanghera and Steve Reeves were separated from the ISB.
Mylarger point still stands.

Janet Fife
Janet Fife
Reply to  peterpi - Peter Gross
10 months ago

Jasvinder and Steve didn’t decide to leave the ISB, they were effectively sacked.

Graham Holmes
Graham Holmes
Reply to  peterpi - Peter Gross
10 months ago

“Felt they have to leave the ISB”!!!???
Please correct me if I’m wrong but my recollection is that they were dismissed – the Archbishops Council summarily ending their contracts, yet another episode in a long line of inappropriate behaviour from the AC!

martin sewell
martin sewell
Reply to  Graham Holmes
10 months ago

I should add that Jasvinder and Steve continue to support victims unpaid whilst the Church (which had reported plans in place) faffed about

Michael M.
Michael M.
Reply to  peterpi - Peter Gross
10 months ago

“Independent” this and “independent” that, it’s likely all our heads will be spinning with all these “independent” versions of “independent”. Are there some other words that have been rendered meaningless also? Review – as if we’ve been on a bad “trip”? A lot of my pastors and fellow congregants have been in analogues or offshoots of the reported Bash Nash/Rev P. situations and their state of belief has become weakened thereby whether an actual finger was laid on them or not. This sort of thing has been going on for 100 years and the IICSA deadline itself was drawn too… Read more »

Jeremy
Jeremy
10 months ago

Once again the CofE, measured by independent people knowledgeable about safeguarding, misses the mark. Speculating here, but the remit is likely narrow because either (1) the review is being run on the cheap or (2) the result of a broad remit is greatly feared.

‘Adrian’
‘Adrian’
Reply to  Jeremy
10 months ago

I think we all know for a fact that it’s definitely (2) above: reputation/future of 2 Diocesans and a former Head of the NST is at stake, just for starters.
Could be (1) as well, but I very much doubt it, given that AC has never previously been a wise custodian of precious Church funds, eg almost £5k cost for each new worshipper via the ‘strategic development fund’.

Kate Keates
Kate Keates
10 months ago

Does anyone know how long are meetings of the Archbishops’ Council – or, more specifically, do members get sufficient time to discuss matters thoroughly so that things like terms of reference don’t just get rubber stamped?

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