HIghland Council Education Committee Rep

There is a current vacancy for a Church of Scotland Rep on Highland Council’s Education Committee.  Any Presbytery member interested in taking on this interesting role until May 2027 should contact the Presbytery Clerk, or Janet MacKellar. below is some detail about the role.

It is a statutory requirement that local authority Education Committees in Scotland must include three religious representatives – one nominated by the Church of Scotland, one nominated by the Roman Catholic Church, and one nominated by another religious denomination as determined by the local authority.  The duration of the appointment corresponds with the current Council term, which comes to an end in May 2027.  In Highland, the religious representatives are non-voting Members of the Education Committee, which currently meets four times a year in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness.   Travelling expenses may be claimed but the meetings are hybrid, so it is also possible to attend remotely via Microsoft Teams.  An agenda and papers for the Committee are issued electronically 10 days in advance of a meeting.  The Committee comprises 18 Elected Members, who have full voting rights, the three religious representatives, and the Highland Youth Convener, who is also a non-voting Member.  The religious representatives may contribute to the debate if they so wish, providing a voice for religious communities in shaping local education policy and practice.  There is currently a short prayer (no longer than 5 minutes) prior to the commencement of the Committee, and this alternates between the 3 religious representatives.