Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Members to this meeting of the Schools Forum.

To report any apologies for absence or substitutions.

Apologies for absence were received from Ian Irwin and Damian Cunningham.

To record any observers present.

There were no observers present.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2019.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 12 December 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To discuss any matters arising.

Agenda Item 7 Schools LTS Insurance – a representative of the Borough Treasurer provided a brief update/feedback relating to points raised by Members at the last meeting and advised that a formal letter will be going our to schools shortly with a detailed response from the Insurance Team Manager.

Agenda Item 11 – a representative of the Borough Treasurer advised schools that the Speech and Language survey had been issued to schools recently and requested that schools complete this.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with an executive summary report of the business matters included on the main agenda.

Schools’ Forum is recommended to note the executive summary and offer any views, comments and feedback to be considered for future executive summary reports.

Officer contact: Peter Hughes on 0161 474 3947 or email: peter.hughes@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Borough Treasurer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided the Forum with an executive summary of the business matters on the agenda.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with details of the 2020/21 Schools Funding Settlement released on 19 December 2019 by the Department for Education (DfE).

Schools Forum Members are asked to:

a)    Note the report

Officer contact: Peter Hughes Telephone 0161 474 3947 or email: peter.hughes@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Borough Treasurer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum members with details of the 2020/21 Schools Funding Settlement released on 19 December 2019 by the Department for Education (DfE).

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         A short discussion took place in respect of the Pupil Premium Grant and the potential impact of the Local Authority not accepting paper claims anymore and in addition eligible parents having to go online to claim for free school meals.  Was this having any financial impact on schools?

·         Schools Forum Members were advised that there is a help service available in Fred Perry House.

RESOLVED (i) That the report be noted.

(ii) That officers would discuss the above matter with the benefits team and provide information and data in relation to eligibility and take up.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with details of the Final 2020/21 Local Authority (LA) annual pro-forma toolkit (APT) return to be submitted to the Department for Education (DfE).

Schools Forum members are asked to:

            a) Note the above report; and

            b) Offer any further comments.

Officer contact: Peter Hughes Telephone 0161 474 3947 or email: peter.hughes@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Borough Treasurer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which The report provided Schools’ Forum members with details of the Final 2020/21 Local Authority (LA) annual pro-forma toolkit (APT) return to be submitted to the Department for Education (DfE).

RESOLVED (i)  Updated ‘draft’ budgets would be circulated to schools later this week.

(ii) That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

The report provides Schools Forum members with a further update on the 2020/21 budget setting process for the total Schools’ Budget predominantly financed by deployment of the dedicated schools grant (DSG).

Schools Forum members are asked to:

a)    Note the above report;

b)   Approve the updated CSSB resource allocations for 2020/21 as per Appendix 3; and

c)    Offer any additional comments

Officer contact: Peter Hughes Telephone 0161 474 3947 or email: peter.hughes@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Borough Treasurer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools Forum Members with a further update on the 2020/21 budget setting process for the total Schools’ Budget predominantly financed by deployment of the dedicated schools grant (DSG).

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Schools Forum Members were advised that the figure at point 4.2 regarding Maintained Nursery Schools should read £6.66 not £6.58 (i.e. they receive the 8p uplift like all other settings from April 2020).

·         A short discussion took place relating to an increase on copyright licensing.

RESOLVED (i) That the report be noted.

(ii) Schools Forum Members approved the updated CSSB resource allocations for 2020/21 as per Appendix 3.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with an update/information relating to budget adjustments relating to permanently excluded pupils from April 2020.

Schools Forum members are asked to:

a)    Note the above report;

b)   Offer any comments; and

c)    Ensure the update/information is shared with their wider primary and secondary sector colleagues.

Officer contact: Peter Hughes Telephone 0161 474 3947 or email: peter.hughes@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Borough Treasurer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum members with an update/information relating to budget adjustments relating to permanently excluded pupils from April 2020.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         A short discussion took place in respect of how the Permanently Excluded Pupils budgetary adjustment should be calculated and how schools would be notified of changes to next year’s budgets.

·         It was decided that the Permanently Excluded Pupils budget adjustment for each pupil would be based on their actual characteristics as per the census data.

·         Furthermore, a schedule was to be sent to individual schools relating to 2020/21 FY budget adjustments required for those pupils excluded in 2019/20 since October 2019 census day.

RESOLVED – (i) That the report be noted.

(ii) That Schools’ Forum Members would share this information with their wider sector colleagues.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with details of the calendar dates of meetings agreed for the 2019/20 academic year.

The report also provides Schools’ Forum members with the opportunity to request reports for future meetings and/or make amendments to the forward planner (Appendix 1). The report provides Schools’ Forum members with the opportunity to request any items for training/development sessions.

Schools Forum members are asked to:

I. Note the above report;

II. Request any reports for future meetings;

III. Note the academic year meeting dates provided.

IV. Discuss and propose any amendments to the forward planner; and

V. Request any items for training/development sessions.

Officer contact: Peter Hughes Tel 474 3947 Email: peter.hughes@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Borough Treasurer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum Members with details of the calendar dates of the meetings agreed for the 2019/20 academic year.  The report also provided Schools’ Forum Members with the opportunity to request reports for future meetings and/or make amendments to the forward planner (Appendix 1).  The report further provided Schools’ Forum Members with the opportunity to request any items for training/development sessions.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To discuss any other business.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Schools Forum Members were advised that the DfE had released details of their response following the consultation undertaken in relation to the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) being extended to all Local Authority maintained schools.

·         2020/21 buy-in to the above would be at an individual school level due to timeframes.  Further information on this is expected from the DfE shortly.

·         The school insurance team had been requested to provide an analysis of the RPA scheme against the Local Authority offer and highlight any key differentials.  Officers would chase this up.

·         The DfE consultation response can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/extending-the-academies-risk-protection-arrangement-to-la-schools