Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed members to the meeting of the Forum and introductions were made.

Apologies for absence were received from Janice Carhill, Heather Cooper, Damian Cunningham, Danny Pearson and Jenny Singleton.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2014.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 23 September 2014 were approved as a correct record.

To discuss any matters arising.

Terms of Reference & Membership (Minute number 7 of 23 September 2014)

With regards to minute number 7 from the meeting held on 23 September 2014 regarding Terms of Reference & Membership, it was confirmed that the vacant primary head teacher post had not yet been filled.

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) providing members of the Forum with an executive summary report of the business matters on the agenda.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People

The report provides Schools Forum members with a summary of the Schools Budget landscape financed by the deployment of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) for the purpose of medium term financial planning for 2015/16 and beyond.

Schools Forum members are asked to note the above report; and discuss the content/plans at Section 4 and offer any comments.

Officer Contact: Phil Beswick on 0161 474 3832 or email phil.beswick@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Services to People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided members with a summary of the Schools Budget landscape financed by the deployment of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) for the purpose of medium term financial planning for 2015/16 and beyond.

The forum was advised that the current financial climate/DSG settlement basis requires any new initiatives requiring additional financial resources are to be financed by equal identifiable cash and/or efficiency savings. The 2014/15 Schools Budget financed by the DSG utilised £0.725m of centrally held DSG reserves to set a balanced budget. It was planned that the Schools Budget will be set and balanced in 2015/16 via the following method/actions:

• Realisation of savings from the councils early voluntary redundancy package offered to staff and/or cessation of identified services/support
• Deployment of any available headroom;
• Reduction of base rate funding allocated to providers of the educational free entitlement to three and four year olds;
• Deployment of central DSG reserves.

The Forum was further advised that the above only provides a short-term solution and the Local Authority was mindful of the need to assess and review all areas within the DSG framework in order to strike the right balance between funding delegated to schools and those deployed to central support services for pupils/schools and ensure the needs of pupils are met.

The Forum was invited to discuss the options available and identify any stakeholder representatives to be included on any working groups established to undertake such review.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That Phil Beswick liaise with Primary Head teachers, Secondary Head teachers, and Governors to identify who shall be the representatives on any working groups established to undertake such review.

(3) That an update report be provided to the Forum at the meeting of 19 March 2015.

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

The report provides Schools Forum members with details of the 2015/16 budget setting process and principles.

Schools Forum members are invited to consider the detailed recommendations in 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) which provided members of the Forum with details of the 2015/16 budget setting process and principles.

It was reported that the Local Authority was awaiting the Dedicated Schools Grant settlement to assess priorities, review resource levels and construct the 2015/16 Schools Budget based on the latest information and requirements. Any remaining funds available after the budget is formulated are referred to as “Headroom”. Members were referred to appendix 4.4 of the report which outlines the priorities for headroom monies allocation as well as the plans should there be a budget shortfall following the release of the final DSG settlement.

Members were informed that the DSG budget would continue to be allocated on a 0% cash settlement basis which could potentially lead to cost pressures within the overall Schools Budget. Regulations permit the Local Authority to apply a level of capping or scaling back to schools on the level of gain to be received in the final delegated budget share allocated in order to meet the cost of providing the minimum funding guarantee (MFG) protection to schools. In 2014/15 the Local Authority applied a scaling back mechanism at 25.1% of all gains, hereby clawing back a total of approximately £0.558m to meet the MFG cost; this was considered to be the best option.

It was further reported that the decision making responsibility for de-delegating service areas and/or contingency type budgets falls upon the Schools Forum members representing each sector on the Forum. Members were informed of the areas within scope for de-delegation, and that de-delegation was not yet available to academies, although the same services would be offered to academies before April 2015 via a buy-back system.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members raised concerns regarding the polarisation of the Local Authority and how Headroom could be used to address schools affected by high depravation levels.

·         It was confirmed that the scaling process would cover the cost of the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) for 2015/16.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Local Authority be advised to continue the scaling process in 2015/16.

(3) That the Primary Schools agree to de-delegate.

(4) That Colin Short be requested to ask the Secondary Headteachers at their next weekly meeting to discuss the de-delegation topic and report back to the Local Authority as soon as possible.

(5) That Peter Hughes be requested to provide a further update report on all budget matters at the spring term 2015 meetings.

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

The report provides Schools Forum members with details of the “Indicative” 2015/16 Local Authority (LA) annual pro-forma toolkit (APT) return submitted to the Department for Education (DfE)

Schools Forum members are asked 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) which provided members with details of the indicative 2015/16 Local Authority annual pro-forma toolkit (APT) return submitted to the Department for Education (DfE).

The Forum was advised that the Local Authority had complied with DfE regulations and that the APT return had been submitted in the required timescale. There were to be no additional formula factors used in 2015/16 and the in-year funding systems would be retained for both LA planned basic need via the central reserve and unplanned pupil growth costs above the 3% threshold level funded via de-delegated contingency funds.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

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 reported that the Schools Financial Consultation document had been released and consultation closed in November. It was reported the response level was better than the previous year with a return of 58 out of 85 schools.The issues that were raised had been collated and sent to the Services to People Management Team to determine their preferred option.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Local Authority’s preferred option be presented to Schools Forum at the meeting on 22 January 2015 prior to the final decision being made.

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

To provide Schools Forum members with update relating to the Local Authority (LA) scrutiny/challenge process on schools reporting an excessive school surplus balance as at 31 March 2014.

Schools Forum members are asked to note the above report and offer any comments.

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) which provided members with an update on the Local Authority scrutiny process on schools reporting an excessive school surplus balance at 31 March 2014 and the planned process to be applied to schools reporting an excessive school surplus balance at 31 March 2015, in accordance with the updated Scheme for Financial Schools document.

Members of the Forum were advised that Stockport schools reported a cumulative surplus balance position at 31 March 2014 at £11.888m. 9 schools held a balance at or above 15%, which had decreased from 16 from the previous year. The Local Authority had written to the schools in question and following responses from each school were satisfied that all schools have:

·         A clear action plan for deployment of the surplus balance;

·         Planned deployment is appropriate; and

·         Approval of Governing Body has been sought.

It was also reported that the Scheme for Financing Schools document was updated from April 2014 and included an Excessive School Surplus balance control mechanism which will “claw-back” any surplus balance report at year-end at or above 12% of the schools delegated budget share, which was approved by Schools Forum at their meeting held 20 March 2014. Initial indications based on the individual 2014/15 school budget plans submitted to the Local Authority in summer 2014 indicate that 10 schools potentially have a projected year-end balance exceeding their 12% threshold level, resulting in a cumulative schools total of £0.693 which may be subject to “claw-back”.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Exceptional circumstances could include new buildings in schools, although these were currently examined on a case by case basis and reviewed annually.

·         Members raised concerns as to how the funds gained from the “claw-back” scheme would be redistributed.

·         It was suggested that surplus funds gained from the “claw-back” scheme could be redistributed to schools to address specific shortfalls in funding to meet key curriculum matters.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Forum recommends that funds gained from the “claw-back” scheme should not be redistributed to schools reporting an excessive surplus balance.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People

The report advises members on the LA’s strategy for improving outcomes for those pupils eligible for Pupil Premium and the 2014-15 action plan to support narrowing the disadvantage gap.

Schools Forum members are asked to note the report.

Officer Contact: Phil Beswick on 0161 474 3832 or email phil.beswick@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Services to People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which advised members on the Local Authority’s strategy for improving outcomes for those pupils eligible for Pupil Premium and the 2014/15 action plan to support narrowing the disadvantage gap.

The forum was advised that narrowing the gap in outcomes between those pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium and their non-Pupil Premium peers was a key priority for Stockport’s schools and the School Improvement Team. It was reported that Stockport was the third most improved borough for uptake of Pupil Premium.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members indicated that their main priority was to guarantee the uptake of Pupil Premium.

·         Members recognised that there is a shortfall both nationally and in Stockport.

·         It was suggested that eligible children be automatically enrolled on Pupil Premium.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The report provides Schools Forum members with details of the scheduled meetings for the 2014/15 academic year and the opportunity to request reports for future meetings and items for training/development sessions.

Schools Forum members are invited to consider the detailed recommendations in 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) which provided members of the Forum with details of the schedule of meetings for the 2014/15 academic year, the opportunity to request reports for future meetings and/or make amendments to the forward planner and the opportunity to request any items for training and development sessions.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There was no other business.

RESOLVED – That the next meeting of the Forum be held on Thursday 22 January 2015 at Castle Hill High School, The Fairway, Offerton with an optional question and answer session on reports to be considered to be held prior to the commencement of the meeting at 3.45pm.

The meeting closed at 5.06 pm