Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Andrew Webb, Terry Conlon, Michael Clarke, Gillian Stunnell and Councillor Ann Smith.

To agree as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 21 June 2011.

The Minutes (copies of which were presented at the meeting) of the meeting held on 21 June 2011 were approved as a correct record. Apologies were offered that draft minutes had been circulated previously.

Donna Sager reported the Paul Beatty had tendered his resignation from the Forum.  The vacancy for a secondary school governor on the Forum had been announced and an election process had started

The Forum considered a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Allocation for the financial year 2011/12 as confirmed by the Department for Education (DfE) and to agree and record how any surplus or deficit position would be dealt with.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That in order to manage the reduction in the available DSG of £0.053m within the current budget framework agreement was given to reduce the Schools contingency budget within the Retained Schools Budget block.

The Forum considered a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a mid-year review update on those service areas funded from within the Retained Schools Budget (RSB) which were associated with the streamlining and/or ceasing of previous grant funding from 1 April 2011.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That groups/individuals discuss the report and feedback any views to Simon Finch and Peter Hughes.

(3) That the report and feedback  will be re-considered at the October meeting of the Forum.

The Forum considered a report (copies of which had been circulated) summarising an updated statement of the funds available following the completion of the first round of bids received and processed in accordance with the process agreed by the Forum at the March 2011 meeting. 

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That agreement be given to hold the surplus fund (£0.211m), for future distribution within the 2012/13 budget cycle adding to the £0.515m identified and ear-marked for this reserve from 2010/11 insurance scheme balances.

The Forum considered a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Forum to consider the local funding arrangements for the administration of the Pupil Premium (PP) in relation to Children in Care (CiC) only. 

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Forum agrees that the Virtual School would have a role to play in monitoring the use and impact of the PP for each Stockport CiC, the revised Personal Education Plan (PEP) new section which required schools to account for the child’s PP allocation was noted.

(3) That it be noted that in the event of a Stockport child moving to a new school mid term, there would be no monies following the pupil for the remainder of that term. It was noted that the new school would receive the termly amount at the end of the following term.

(4) That a report be provided to the next meeting on changes implemented to the Virtual School with focus on the impact on nursery education

The Forum considered a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Forum to agree how SEN funding which is delegated for specifically identified pupils (outside the scope of the Minimum Funding Guarantee level) be redistributed when a pupil changes school within the financial year. 

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the following process to re-distribute funding on a school termly model based on the following concept be implemented

·         Summer term (5/12ths)

·                                                      Autumn term (4/12ths)

·                                                      Spring term (3/12ths)

The table below outlines how the proposed system would re-distribute funding:

(3) That the new system will be introduced from 1^st January 2012

The Forum considered a report (copies of which had been circulated) summarising the latest consultation released by the DfE in relation to the reform of the Schools Funding system.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the report and consultation be considered at the extraordinary meeting of the Forum on 29 September 2011.

The Forum considered a report (copies of which had been circulated) informing the Forum of decisions taken in relation to the schools holding a surplus school balance as at 31 March 2011 that was deemed to be excessive. 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted. 

The Forum considered a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a schedule of meetings for the 2011-12 academic year.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Forum meetings for the academic year 2011-12 be held as follows:-

Nb: The December 2011 meeting is optional at present, subject to the timing and requirements emanating from central government spend review announcements made in relation to the 2012-13 financial year.

(2) No additional reports were requested by Forum members for the October meeting.