Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Reverend Alan Bell, Sister Patricia Goodstadt, Bernadette Singleton, Andrew Webb and Councillor Mark Weldon.

To agree as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 8 February 2011.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 8 February 2011 were approved as a correct record, subject to the addition of the words ‘Chair (in the Chair)’ next to Ian Roberts’ name in the list of those present at the meeting.

There were no matters arising.

A representative of the Corporate Director, Business Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing:-

·         final details of the estimated 2011-12 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and the Retained Schools Budget (RSB) blocks.

·         confirmation of the arrangements relating to local authority holdback of previous Standards Fund grants and the Individual Schools Budget (ISB) top slice arrangements for service areas previously supported by Area Based Grant (ABG), following consultation with both Headteachers and Governor representative groups.

·         details of the Schools Contingency Budget within the RSB block and a response to the request to support schools taking pupils who would have gone to Offerton School from September 2011.

·         the determination of the application of any available headroom monies within the DSG.

·         details of any breach of the Central Expenditure Level; and

·         final details relating to the distribution of the new Pupil Premium Grant from April 2011.

A revised copy of Appendices 3 and 4 were circulated at the meeting.

A discussion took place on the mechanisms for consulting on the proposals and how this could be altered in the future, given the very tight timescales imposed by the Department for Education.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the estimated total DSG used to formulate Stockport’s total Schools Budget for 2011-12 be noted.

(3) That the plans to determine both the RSB and individual sector allocations within the total ISB level for 2011-12 be noted.

(4) That the ‘Indicative’ Pupil Premium funding allocations for 2011-12 be noted.

(5) That agreement be given in principle to re-distribute any delegated pupil specific SEN funding allocated outside of the Minimum Funding Guarantee level on a termly basis for one year

(6) That the decision in (5) above be discussed further at the Primary and Secondary Headteachers’ consortia and a report submitted to a future meeting of the Forum.

(7) That with regard to the distribution of available headroom:-

·         The headroom allocated to Primary Schools be as set out in the revised Appendix 3 circulated at the meeting.

·         The headroom allocated to Secondary and Special Schools be on the basis of the number of pupils on roll at each school.

(8) That the breach of the Central Expenditure Limit (CEL) be approved.

(9) That consideration be given by Officers to altering the mechanisms for consulting on the Government’s proposals in the future.

A representative of the Corporate Director, Business Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) proposing an approach to supporting schools with unfunded capital contractual commitments arising from the reduction in Devolved Formula Grant for 2011/12, within the financial envelope available.

RESOLVED – (1) That the arrangements for accessing the funds detailed in Section 4 of the report be approved.

(2) That the decisions be made by a Panel comprising the Chair of the Schools Forum, the Service Director (Strategy and Performance) and the Strategic Accountant.

(3) That a report on the allocations be submitted to a meeting of the Forum in the summer term.

A representative of the Corporate Director, Business Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) confirming how the central budget for Managing Staff Reductions costs will be used in 2011/12 and future years, and the associated arrangements for schools to access the funding.

The Forum considered and recommended that the local authority’s decision to close a school should not impact on other schools via the central budget for managing staff reductions.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Forum reaffirms its commitment to maintaining a central fund which will be used by the Council and schools to provide financial support in relation to managing Staff Reductions.

(2) That approval be given to the arrangements detailed in Section 3 of the report which are intended to improve transparency, fairness and regulate access to the funding with effect from 1 April 2011.

(3) That the Chair be the Forum’s representative on the Panel.

(4) That the Forum considers that the local authority’s decision to close a school should not impact on other schools via the central budget for managing staff reductions.

A representative of the Corporate Director, Business Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided the Forum with information relating to the consultation responses received from schools with regard to the Scheme for Financing Schools and updated the Forum on the Council’s recommendations for proposed amendments to the Scheme for Financing Schools from April 2011.

RESOLVED – (For 18, 0 Against) (1) That the changes outlined in 1-9 of  Appendix 1 be implemented because of their statutory nature.

(2) That the changes outlined in 10-23 of Appendix 1 be deferred for further consultation.

(3) That the outcome of the consultation referred to in (2) above be submitted to a future meeting of the Forum.

There were no other items of business to consider.

RESOLVED – That the next meeting of the Forum be held at 4.15pm on Tuesday, 21 June, 2011 at Kingsway Lower School, Cheadle.