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<p>The Independent Review of Lowest Income Communities Funding and Strategic Development
Funding led by Sir Robert Chote was published in March 2022 and can be read here:
<a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/irls-final-report-2.pdf"
target="_blank"><strong><em>https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/irls-final-report-2.pdf</em></strong></a></p><p>In
respect of improving governance arrangements of Lowest Income Communities Funding
(LInC) the Review recommended:</p><ul><li>Recommendation 2 - "Refocusing annual
returns … towards more strategic reporting".</li><li>Recommendation 3 - asked
staff to "identify and promote best practice … perhaps convening a learning symposium".</li><li>Recommendation
5 – asked staff to "communicate more clearly the extent to which LInC funding
is sustaining ministry".</li></ul><p>The action taken so far by the Archbishops'
Council's Vision and Strategy team in response to those recommendations has been to:</p><ul><li>Raise
the profile of LInC funding within ongoing strategic conversations between its staff
and diocesan teams, as part of dioceses' strategic development processes, with the
aim of improving its effectiveness.</li><li>Ask dioceses to give information about
the intended outcomes from their planned use of LInC funding, together with how they
will be measured, as part of their annual return on LInC funding for 2022.</li><li>Plan
a learning event to bring together diocesan representatives to share and develop their
approaches on the use of LInC funding, aiming to improve the effectiveness, accountability
and transparency of LInC funding.</li></ul><p>The Independent Review also made further
suggestions in Recommendation 1: "encouraging dioceses to use LInC funding more
for clergy transitions" and in Recommendation 4: "maintaining current levels
of LInC funding". While not related directly to governance, these may also feature
in the learning event and in ongoing conversations with dioceses.</p><p>From the start
of 2023, the new Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB), a committee
of the Archbishops' Council, has replaced the previous Strategic Investment Board
and Strategic Ministry Board. It distributes and monitors funds made available by
the Church Commissioners and Archbishops' Council via LInC, SDF, and other similar
funds.</p><p>The Boards of the Archbishops’ Council and the Church Commissioners are
regularly updated by the SMMIB about funding decisions and projects supported by these
funds. Members of the Archbishops’ Council and Church Commissioners Boards are part
of the SMMIB and help monitor funding decisions and spending. The SMMIB will also
provide an annual report to the General Synod.</p><p>More information about the role
the SMMIB plays can be found here: <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/new-board-oversee-unprecedented-church-england-investment-mission-and"
target="_blank">https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/new-board-oversee-unprecedented-church-england-investment-mission-and</a></p>
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