On 16 January 2025, the Church of England issued the Safeguarding News Release Update on Makin Review Methodology, which is reproduced in full below.
Update on Makin Review Methodology
16/01/2025
Stage 3
As stipulated in the Makin Methodology part three of this process constitutes a panel considering reports on criticised individuals in the Makin Review and considering whether disciplinary action should be taken. The decision-makers on the panel consist of the National Director of Safeguarding and two independent experts with relevant safeguarding experience. They are assisted in an advisory capacity by senior members of the National Church Institutions Legal Office and senior members of the National Safeguarding Team.
The panel is made up of the following people:
- Alexander Kubeyinje, Chair of Panel
- Nazir Afzal OBE, Independent Expert
- Barbara Peacock, Independent Expert
- Zena Marshall, Safeguarding advisor
- Alexander McGregor, Legal advisor
- Edward Dobson, Legal advisor
- Adam Hobson, Legal Advisor
- Ian Bowles, Safeguarding Advisor
The roles of Panel Members
The Independent expert members support and work with the Chair to review the information and make decisions on the basis of the information that has been presented to them. Please note the role that Nazir Afzal undertakes on this panel is separate and independent from his role as the chair of the National Safeguarding Panel.
The role of the legal advisor is to give their professional advice about the procedures and law relating to clergy discipline. The Safeguarding Advisors are present to give advice on safeguarding policies and procedures.
The Panel have carefully considered the question of victims and survivor representation on the Panel. The Panel consider that, as their task is to determine whether complaints under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 should be brought against named individuals, it would not be appropriate for any person who is involved in the factual matrix of these cases to be involved in this stage of decision making. The Panel in particular note that should any complaint be heard by a tribunal, then live witness evidence may well be necessary and would wish to ensure that nothing prejudices that process.
Those who have been criticised in the Makin Report will be written to along with their Diocesan Bishop and Diocesan Safeguarding Officer/Cathedral Safeguarding Officer and informed of the outcomes of decisions made by the Panel. These letters will come directly from the National Director of Safeguarding as Chair of the Panel.
The decision-making process will include considering the full Makin Review (including the annexes) alongside the assessments completed at stage 2 of this process. For each individual case, the Panel will consider:
- the relevant safeguarding policies and guidance which were in force at the time.
- each case against criteria which will consider the factual evidence.
- applicable legal tests in determining whether proceedings under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 should be brought.
Further guidance is also found in the Clergy Discipline Measure Code of Practice.
Please note that this process does not entail a reinvestigation of the issues addressed in the Makin review. The reviewer’s role is to examine any matters during the review process.
Once stage 4 has been completed the panel members have agreed to publish a short report which will include notifications of any intended proceedings under the Clergy Discipline Measure.
There is a possibility that this stage of the process may not be concluded by the time of February General Synod. However, the Panel continues to aim for this deadline as stated in previous communication from the NST.