Agenda and minutes

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

To report any apologies for absence or substitutions.

Apologies for absence were received from Vicky Walker, Tony Martin and Eleanor Losse.

To record any observers present.

It was reported that the following was in attendance as an observers:

Emma Morton                       -           Schools Finance Team

Nick Bennett                         -           St James School Business Manager

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2018.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 20 September 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To discuss any matters arising.

·         Schools’ Forum members commented that a number of schools have found the imposition of the additional Long term sickness (LTS) in-year levy to address the 2017/18 overspend quite difficult to manage.  In response, members were advised that this had been discussed at the July meeting of Schools’ Forum and that the Local Authority will work with schools regarding deficit management.

·         Comments were also made regarding sickness levels among staff and that this was having a huge impact on schools.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

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

Schools 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 Borough Treasurer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided the Forum with an executive summary of the business matters on the agenda.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with the detail of the 2019/20 high needs block (HNB) Budget position.  The report also provides Schools’ Forum members with details of the consultation responses received to the Local Authority (LA) proposal to transfer 0.5% of the schools’ block allocation.

Schools’ Forum is requested to approve the proposed transfer.

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

A representative of the Borough Treasurer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum members with the detail of the 2019/20 high needs block (HNB) Budget position.  The report also provided Schools’ Forum members with details of the consultation responses received to the Local Authority (LA) proposal to transfer 0.5% of the schools’ block allocation.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Schools’ Forum members commented that the increased complexity of some of the children coming into school needed to be recognised.

·         Members asked whether they could vote against the consultation results in their own sector?  In response, they were advised that this was possible, Schools’ Forum members are responsible for final approval, having taken account of the consultation responses, which will include the level/number of consultation responses actually achieved.

·         The proposals were about protecting the needs of the most vulnerable children in the community and from a moral point of view, approving the proposals was the correct thing to do.

·         Representatives of the Secondary Schools sector felt that they were being asked to manage many more complex children than they had been previously.  It was felt that taking more money out of the system would make matters worse.

·         Some Schools Forum members also felt that the proposal would mean taking money away from those children who were not designated as having special needs and that this could have a negative impact upon them.

·         Schools Forum members asked about what would happen if the proposal was not approved and what was being done in other Boroughs about this issue.

RESOLVED (i) That the report be noted.

(ii) Schools’ Forum acknowledged and considered the school responses provided to the Local Authority consultation document proposal.

(iii) A vote was taken on whether to approve the Local Authority proposal to transfer 0. 5% of the 2019/20 DSG schools’ block allocation to the high needs block.

11 Schools’ Forum members voted in favour of approving the proposal.

6 Schools’ Forum members voted against approving the proposal.

2 Schools’ Forum members abstained.

The Local Authority proposal to transfer 0.5% of the 2019/20 DSG schools’ block allocation to the high needs block was therefore approved.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with the opportunity to request reports for future meetings and/or amendments to the forward planner (Appendix 1).  The report also provides Schools Forum members with the opportunity to request any items for training/development sessions.

Schools Forum members are asked to:

                  I.        Note the above report;

                II.         Request any reports for future meetings;

               III.        Note the 2018/19 academic year meeting dates provided at section 3.1 above;

              IV.        Discuss and propose any amendments to the forward planner; and

                V.        Request any items for training/development sessions.

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

A representative of the Borough Treasurer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum members with the opportunity to request reports for future meetings and/or amendments to the forward planner.  The report also provided Schools’ Forum members with the opportunity to request any items for training/development sessions.

RESOLVED – (i) That the report be noted

(ii) That the next meeting of the Schools’ Forum would take place on Thursday 6 December 2018.

To discuss any other business.

·         The Executive Member for Education drew the attention of the Schools’ Forum members to the following dates/matters:

The MTFP Cabinet Response: Our Budget Choices for 2019/20 (Proposal 1: Children’s and Education Services) would be going before the Children and Families Scrutiny Committee on 5December 2018.

On 6 December 2018 there will be a consultation on schools transport strategy.

·         A short discussion also took place on the sugar tax windfall and that some schools were being asked to find 20% of the project monies themselves.