Agenda and minutes

The Chair announced that this would be the last meeting of the Forum that Donna Sager, Service Director (Strategy and Performance) with the Council would be attending prior to becoming the Deputy Director of Public Health on a full-time basis Phil Beswick, who had recently been appointed Director of Education Services, would be attending meetings of the Forum in her place.

Apologies for absence were received from Lesley Abercromby, Phil Beswick, Paul Carter, Simon Finch, Helen Hilton, Ian Irwin, Joanne Meredith and Anne Thompson.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2014.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 21 January 2014 were approved as a correct record.

To discuss any matters arising.

There were no matters arising.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services

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

The 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 Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) proving members of the Forum with an executive summary report of the business matters on the agenda. This had been produced following a recommendation in the Schools Forum ‘Operational and Good Practice Guide’ published in October 3013.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services

The report provides details to members of the Forum of the final proposed amendments to the Scheme for Financing Schools document to take effect from April 2014, following consultation in the autumn term 2013.

The Forum is recommended to:-

(a) Note the above report;

(b) Consider the stakeholder views / position relating to the proposed amendments as detailed in Appendix 1;

(c ) Approve proposals 1-16 & 18-28 as per Appendices 1 and 3; and

(d) Approve the updated proposed amendment relating to surplus balance as detailed at Appendix 2.

Officer Contact: Peter Hughes on 0161 474 3947 or 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 details to members of the Forum of the final proposed amendments to the Scheme for Financing Schools document to take effect from April 2014, following consultation in the autumn term 2013.

The Scheme for Financing Schools document defined the key financial management relationship between the local authority and schools. The scheme clearly outlined all stakeholder roles and responsibilities, key controls and any remedial actions the local authority could impose in case of any financial mismanagement issues.

An analysis of the responses to the consultation were set out in Appendix 1 of the report and the Forum was requested to consider stakeholders’ views and their position relating to the proposed amendments to the Scheme.

RESOLVED – (Thirteen for, one abstention) (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That proposals 1-16 and 18-28, as set out in Appendices 1 and 3 of the report, be approved; and

(3) That the updated proposed amendment relating to surplus balances, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report, be approved.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People

The report focuses on the Education Capital Programme 2012-2016 and in particular the work underway to renew and extend educational estate in the face of the increased birth rate and additional demand for primary places being experienced at this time.

The Forum is recommended to note and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Stephen Bell on 0161 474 3846 or email: stephen.bell@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) focusing on the Education Capital Programme 2012-2016 and in particular the work underway to renew and extend the educational estate in face of the increased birth rate and additional demand for primary places being experienced at this time.

Stockport, in common with all other local authorities with responsibility for education, had received a ‘Basic Need’ grant on an annual basis with which to create additional school places. The grant was not large in the context of the cost of new school build or extensions that had to meet stringent regulations. In addition to the Basic Need grant, the Council had to bid for additional support through the Targeted Basic Need Capital route where it had been reasonably successful. The Council had secured an additional £11.4million ‘regeneration’ support from the Council’s Major Projects Group. By combining these with capital receipts and Repairs and Maintenance underspend, as well as some minor funding streams and contributions from schools, the Council was now in the middle of a £52million building programme from 2012 to 2016. In addition to this there would be the complete rebuild of three primary schools and one secondary school via the successful bids to the Priority School Building Programme and these centrally procured works were estimated to be in the region of £28million.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That a report be submitted to a meeting of the Forum at the end of the next financial year providing more details of the financing of the schemes in the Education Capital Programme.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services

The report provides members of the Forum with final detail relating to the construction of the 2014/15 Schools Budget and detail of other 2014/15 budget issues/funding streams.

The Forum is recommended to note the report.

Officer Contact: Peter Hughes on 0161 474 3947 or 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 with the final detail relating to the construction of the 2014/15 schools budget financed by the Dedicated Schools Grant and detail of other 2014/15 budget issues/funding streams.

The local authority had launched a consultation document in the autumn term 2013 on the proposed amendments to the schools’ local funding formula to be implemented from April 2014. The final proposals from the local authority were presented to, and approved by, the Executive at its meeting held in February 2014.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services

The report provides information and an update to members of the Schools Forum on the 2014/15 Local Authority annual pro-forma toolkit return submitted to the Department for Education.

The Forum is recommended to note the report.

Officer Contact: Peter Hughes on 0161 474 3947 or 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 an update to members of the Forum of the 20214/15 Local Authority annual pro-forma toolkit return submitted to the Department for Education.

The 2014/15 return had been submitted on the following basis:-

·         Local Formula Funding values updated following the 2013 Schools Financial Consultation document launched last term on the local funding formula proposals and in line with the local authority’s proposals and recommendation from the Schools Forum which had been approved by the Executive on 11 February 2014;

·         No new/additional formula factors to be used in 2014/15;

·         Capping applied to ‘gaining’ schools based on a 0% level, with the scaling of 25.1% applied to meet the total cost of applying MFG at -1.5% per pupil;

·         Planned basic need pupil place growth funding (including infant class size compliance) as per the local criteria which had been agreed;

·         High needs additional in-year funding as per the local criteria which had been agreed; and

·         Unplanned growth funding to continue to be allocated via the locally agreed 3% threshold level and resources deployed from de-delegated funds.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services

The report provides an update to members of the Forum on the agreed action relating to the low level response rare received from the primary sector to the 2013 Schools Financial Consultation document launched in the last autumn term.

The Forum is recommended to note the report.

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

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies if which had been circulated) updating members of the Forum on the agreed action to the low level response rate received from the primary sector to the 2013 Schools Financial Consultation document launched last autumn term. The Chair of the Schools Forum had written to the Chair of Governors of all the schools in the primary sector which had not responded in order to try and determine the reasons for such a low response rate.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services

The Forum is recommended to:-

(a)  Note the report.

(b)  Agree the proposed meeting dates for the summer term 2014 outlined in section 3.1 of the report.

(c)  Request any reports for future meetings;

(d)  Discuss any amendment to the forward planner; and

(e)  Request any items for training/development sessions.

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

A representative of the Corporate Director for 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 2013/14, an opportunity for members of the Forum to request reports for future meetings and/or make amendments to the forward planner and request any items for training/development sessions.

RESOLVED – (!) That the report be noted.

(2) That consideration be given to how the de-delegation in the future could be approved for three years as opposed to one year in order to assist schools’ future planning.

The Chair reported that there was no longer a Vice-Chair of the Form since Damian Cunningham ceased to be a member.

RESOLVED – That the training for new members of the Forum include details of the responsibilities of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Forum.

Training for new members of the Forum

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services reminded the Forum that the Induction Training for the new members would be held on 26 March 2014 between 4.00pm and 6.00pm at Reddish Vale Technology College.

The next meeting of the Forum is scheduled to be held at 4.15pm on Tuesday 20 May 2014.

RESOLVED – That the next meeting be held at 4.15pm on Tuesday 20 May 2014 at the ICT Centre, Kingsway School, Broadway Campus with an optional question and answer session for members to be held beforehand at 3.45pm.