Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed members to the meeting of the Forum. He advised the meeting that Jenny Campbell would be leaving as Headteacher of Reddish Vale Technology College and Mike Gledhill would be leaving as Headteacher of The Kingsway Secondary School at the end of the Summer term.

Apologies for absence were received from Pam Campbell, Paul Carter, Simon Finch, Mike Gledhill, Jo Nolan, Bernadette Singleton, Jenny Singleton and Gillian Stunell.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2013.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 23 May 2013 were approved as a correct record.

To discuss any matters arising.

Further to previous discussions with voluntary aided schools, Donna Sager offered to provide an update regarding the projected secondary school admission numbers for children in Brinnington and the potential impact on schools in neighbouring areas.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services).

The report provides details of the overall school surplus balance position for the last three years.

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

A representative of the Corporate Director, Services to People, submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing details of the overall school surplus balance position for the last three years. Balances had increased by £4.172m over the past three years, despite additional funding provided to many schools via the Pupil Premium Grant and protection via the funding system of the minimum funding guarantee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

•           A number of Primary School Headteachers had expressed concern about the ‘clawback’ mechanism. Certain building projects at primary schools were just as expensive as at secondary schools.

•           A discussion took place on whether schools should be able to take balances out of savings for a building project. It was pointed out that in a number of cases in the past the projects had never taken place. As a result the local authority had stopped reserving monies for a particular project by taking monies out of revenue expenditure and ‘capitalising’ it.

•           It was felt that the threshold for all schools should be the same as for those schools on the ‘Academy conversion’ route.

•           The need for School Governing Bodies to be trained on the issue of surplus school balances was discussed.

•           It was not necessarily the same schools which were carrying forward excessive school balances each year as a result of staffing changes and particular building projects.

RESOLVED –  (1) That in the consultation document School Governing Bodies be requested to advise whether or not they supported a ‘clawback’ mechanism and, if so, what the ‘clawback’ mechanism should be.

(2) That if School Governing Bodies supported a ‘clawback’ mechanism they be asked whether, in line with those schools which had chosen the ‘Academy conversion’ route, all schools should be permitted to hold up to 12%  maximum of its overall General Annual grant (GAG) of which:-

·         Up to 2% could be spent on either recurrent costs or capital; and

·         Any remaining balance up to the total of 12% be restricted and could only be spent on the upkeep and improvement of premises including the costs of equipment and routine repairs and maintenance, and on capital expenditure.

(3) That the consultation document  include a further question as to whether monies which were ‘clawed back’ should go to all schools or the appropriate school sector.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services).

The report provides Schools Forum members with an update on the latest projection of the total Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) funding available.

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

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing members of the Forum with an update on the latest projection of the total Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) funding available.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services).

The report provides Schools Forum members of the planned re-location of Castle Hill School and the planned funding of the project.

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

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing members of the Forum with information regarding the planned re-location of Castle Hill School and the planned funding for the project.

The scheme was estimated to cost £6.5m funded via £6.0m prudential borrowing over 15 years and £0.5m capital receipts. The prudential borrowing annual repayment was approximately £0.400m per annum from 2015/16 and was to be charged to the DSG. The RCCO budget within the Schools block would be increased accordingly to fund such costs and the increase would be met from identifiable savings within the current High Needs block. No top-slice and/or reduction in delegated funds in the schools block were required to fund this project.

The Schools Finance Regulations 2013 required members of the Forum to approve the cash assigned to all areas within the central/statutory area within the Schools block (which included the RCCO budget line). The local authority had the option to refer any such matters to the Secretary of State for adjudication if not supported by this Forum.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That approval be given in principle to the allocation of a budgetary resource at approximately £0.400m for the centrally retained RCCO budget from 2014/15.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services).

The report details the national developments/announcements relating to 2014/15, the developments/plans for a local review of the schools funding formula ahead of 2014/15 and an outline of the timeline of activity leading up to the 2014/15 school budgets

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

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which reported the national developments/announcements relating to 2014/15, the developments/plans for a local review of the schools funding formula ahead of 2014/15 and an outline of the timeline of activity leading up to the 2014/15 school budgets.

It was confirmed that the Local Authority Briefing/Question and Answer sessions would be held on 29 October 2013.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services).

The report provides Schools Forum with an updated schedule of meetings for the academic year 2013/14.

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

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing members of the Forum with an updated schedule of meetings for the academic year 20213/14.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the change of meeting dates outlined in section 3.1 of the report be approved.

Living Wage

The Service Director (Strategy & Performance) reported on the following Motion which had been approved by the Council Meeting on 25 April 2013:-

‘RESOLVED – (62 for) This Council Meeting notes –

•           The cost of living continues to rise with inflation consistently remaining higher than the Bank of England’s target of 2%, energy bills are rising, water bills are rising and fuel costs are rising.

•           The National Minimum Wage, introduced by the Labour Government in 1998, made work pay and improved the lives of millions of people across Britain.

•           The introduction of a Living Wage by local authorities and other employers.

•           That as of January 2013, 458 contracted Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council employees and 193 casual workers were paid less than the £7.45 per hour Living Wage. 95% of these employees are based in Stockport’s schools.

This Council Meeting further notes that, whilst our schools and suppliers should be encouraged to pay their staff appropriately, there are considerable logistical and financial difficulties that would result from any attempt by the Council to impose the Living Wage upon them.

This Council Meeting believes –

•           That a person should be paid enough to live decently and to adequately provide for their family.

•           That Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council should be an exemplar employer.

This Council Meeting therefore requests –

•           That Spinal Points 4 and 5 be deleted from our pay scales, to take effect as soon as practicable; and

•           That an all-party ‘Task and Finish’ group be formed to consider the further implementation of a Living Wage policy.’

It was reported that any members of staff who were currently paid on Spinal Points 4 and 5 would be increased to Spinal Point 6 and she advised the Forum that she had written to the twenty four schools with staff affected requesting the Governing Bodies to support the Council’s Motion. Employees’ pay would be backdated to the date the Council Motion was passed and in future staff would be recruited at a minimum of Spinal Point 6.

Mike Gledhill, Headteacher of the Kingsway School.

The Chair reported that this would be the last meeting of the Forum that Mike Gledhill, Headteacher of The Kingsway School would be attending. On behalf of the Forum, the Chair thanked Mr Gledhill for his contribution to the work of the Forum and wished him well in his retirement.

To agree the date of the next meeting scheduled for Thursday 3 October 2013.

RESOLVED – That the next meeting be held on Thursday 3 October 2013 at the ICT Centre, Kingsway School, Broadway Campus with an optional question and answer session on reports to be held prior to the commencement of the meeting at 3.45pm.