A FRESH row has erupted over a body which advises the teaching of religious education in Monmouthshire schools.

At a full council meeting on Thursday, an attempt by council leader Councillor Peter Fox to elect one of his cabinet as the chair of the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) was met with contention.

It followed a meeting last month which saw councillors voice disappointment with behaviour towards the chair of the group.

Cllr Fox said Councillor Richard John, the cabinet member for education, who was not in attendance, would “strengthen the political governance” of the committee.

But Labour councillor Tony Easson, who raised the original issues, said Cllr John was being “parachuted” into a group that had been run well until the last 12 months.

Members had shown “a lot of antipathy” towards the outgoing chair, who the meeting heard was a Sikh woman, according to Cllr Easson.

“It was the view of some members that there’s not enough demographic representation of the Christian faiths,” he added.

“It’s a sad day today to see where we are, imposing a chair on the committee which we’ve never done before.”

Previously chairs of SACRE had been voted in by members of the group, which is made up of councillors, teachers and representatives of various religions.

Cllr Fox said that there was no intention to change the representation of the groups within SACRE.

“I understand concerns, but it seems to me that there’s a state of affairs in SACRE that should not be allowed to continue. I have to make that change,” he added.

But Labour councillor Tudor Thomas, who said he had been involved in religious education for 40 years, also opposed to the move.

“I’m disappointed people refused to accept the current chair,” said Cllr Thomas.

“I feel saddened that we’ve got to go to a strong-armed tactic to bring in a cabinet member into a committee which supposedly, and should be, non-controversial.”

Chief executive Paul Matthews said the council had the power to elect a SACRE chair without the vote of its membership.

In response, Labour councillor Martyn Groucutt said: “I think it would be wrong for this council to use its muscle to automatically try to say who will chair that meeting.

“[SACRE’s] primary role is to agree a syllabus for religious education in Monmouthshire schools. It’s right that those teachers should have an equal vote.”

Despite the opposition, Cllr Fox’s motion to nominate Cllr John into the role of chair was carried following a vote.