Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed new members and introductions were made.

Apologies were received from Councillor Shan Alexander, Mike Eveson, Gillian Stunell, Sister Patricia Goodstadt, Andrew Webb and Joanne O’Raw.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 June 2012.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 27 June 2012 were approved as a correct record.

There were no matters arising.

Report to be presented by Andy Pollard.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing Risk Management in Schools. Item 3.6 of the report was emphasised (engaging pupils would be a good way of raising the profile of risk management in schools). Recommendations were suggested that included additional training / workshops and a campaign which pupils could be involved in which would increase overall awareness around risk management.

Suggestions for the allocation of the fund (£180,000) were as follows:-

·         £120,000 for schools to bid against

·         £40,000 for additional training

·         £20,000 for a campaign

Discussion ensued and some Headteacher representatives commented that they had not received their risk management reports.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That feedback on the above proposal be reported to the next meeting.

(3) That Andrew Pollard check that risk management reports had been sent to individual schools.

Report to be presented by Peter Hughes.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the final 2012/13 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) settlement. In relation to section 3 of the report the options for the deployment of the budget surplus were outlined.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the excess DSG funds available be used to increase the schools contingency budget within the Retained Schools Budget (RSB).

Report to be presented by Simon Finch.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing The Schools Forum (England) Regulations 2012 and the Consultation on the Schools Finance Regulations 2013 and Additional DSG Grant Conditions.

In relation to section 2 of the report (The Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2012) it was reported that Schools Forum membership arrangements had been updated and were now compliant with the new regulations.

In relation to section 3.2 of the report (The Schools Finance Regulations 2013 and DSG grant Conditions) it was reported that the Local Authority (LA) had responded to the consultation.

In relation to section 3.3 of the report a number of changes to DSG Grant Conditions were reported and members were advised that the LA would continue to take appropriate action to ensure compliance with the regulations.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report was noted.

(2) That the Schools Forum had identified one additional primary representative and the need for an on-going election process for the two additional primary governor representatives. The secondary representatives had been reduced by one place, the special school representatives had been reduced by one place and the addition of two academy representatives and one PRU representative had been elected.

Report to be presented by Peter Hughes.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing Schools Funding Reform - Local Formula 2013/14. The following areas of the report were highlighted:-

·                From April 2013 DfE regulations require as many services and as much funding as possible to be delegated to schools which will include NQT’s, AST’s and CRB checks.

·                With regards to the consultation exercise 47 responses were received from mainstream schools (approximately 50%) and 35 responses from the early years and PVI sector (approximately 17%). Apologies were given for a technical error in the email address which was resolved but it may have had an adverse effect on responses.

·                Of the twelve allowable formula funding factors there are two statutory, which are basic entitlement and deprivation, the level applied to the statutory factors and the lump sum, if included, will have a significant impact on the distribution of funding across all schools.

·                The recommendation of the Schools Forum would be submitted to the Local Authority’s Executive. Discussion ensued and appendix four was discussed.

·                The Primary consortia (PHC) options were discussed including deprivation at 10%, using free school meals (FSM) and IDACI data sets and inclusion of the £90,000 lump sum, which gives a 73% basic entitlement. There were two alternatives to the PHC model outlined at 5.4 of the report which were discussed.

·                The Secondary consortia (SHC) options were discussed including deprivation at 5-10%, using only FSM data and inclusion of the £90,000 lump sum, which gives an 86% basic entitlement. Alternatives one and two, as detailed at 6.3 in the report, were discussed.

·                Other factors were presented to the Forum and it was decided that funding for National Non-Domestic Rates continue on a cost neutral basis, Special Educational Need (SEN) funding value be set at £1500 per pupil, the funding value for looked after children be £400, funding for English as an Additional Language (EAL) pupils be set at the levels as determined by the appropriate LA officer and included in the consultation document and funding to continue for the three split site schools.

Discussion arose around the SEN values being the same at primary and secondary level, pupil premium funding, cohort 28 schools, deprivation and the lump sum.

In relation to section 8 of the report (Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF)) it was reported that positive feedback had been received from the consultation and that there had been a split of opinion on how the indicative budget should be calculated. The LA requested support from Schools Forum on the recommendations set out at 8.6 in the report.

In relation to section 9 of the report (Additional Delegation) the areas outlined in 9.2 of the report were discussed. The LA requested support for the allocation of funding for new delegation items via the Basic Entitlement factor as per 9.3 of the report and whether the Secondary sector wished to formally de-delegate the EDS funding.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) (13 for, 1 against and 3 abstentions). That alternative two be the preferred option for both the Primary and Secondary sector to be presented to the Executive for approval.

(3) That Schools Forum support the four recommendations as detailed in 8.6 of the report.

(4) That Schools Forum support the allocation of funding for new delegation items via the Basic Entitlement funding factor; and

(5) That the Secondary sector agree to the de-delegation of funding for EDS.

Report to be presented by Peter Hughes.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Forum with an updated schedule of meetings for the 2012-13 academic year.

It was discussed that numerous members could not attend the next meeting scheduled for 29 November 2012.

Forum members requested a training session prior to commencement of the next meeting.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the next meeting of the Forum be held on Thursday 6 December 2012 at the earlier time of 3:45pm.

(3) That Forum Members are invited to arrive 45 minutes early (at 3:00pm) to the next meeting for a question and answer session with officers.

No other business was discussed.

To agree the date of the next meeting, scheduled for Thursday 29 November 2012.

RESOLVED – That the next meeting be held on 6 December 2012 at 3.45pm at Kingsway School (Broadway Campus).