Agenda and minutes

The Chair, Emma Hill, welcomed Members to the virtual meeting of the School’s Forum.

To report any apologies for absence or substitutions.

Apologies for absence were received from Jo O’Raw, Jacquie Ames and Bev Milway.

To record any observers present.

Glenda Brocklehurst and Emma Morton were in attendance as observers.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2021.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 2 December 2021 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To discuss any matters arising.

Members of Schools’ Forum were advised that the Department for Education outcomes relating to the recent School Improvement Grant consultation discussed at the December 2021 meeting of the Forum, had now been released and it was confirmed that proposals to reduce the Grant by 50% in 2022/2023 and to cease from April 2023 would be implemented.

Officers would bring further details and an option appraisal to Schools’ Forum in due course ahead of the 2023/24 budget setting process.

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 Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with an overview of the structure of Stockport MBC’s insurance programme including Long Term Agreement (LTA) arrangements.  The report also explains how the LTA operates in relation to the insurance buybacks to schools to include a proposal about how future arrangements will work.

Schools’ Forum members are asked to:

i)             Note the report

ii)            Offer comments/a collective view regarding the proposal

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

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum members with an overview of the structure of Stockport MBC’s insurance programme including Long Term Agreement (LTA) arrangements.  The report also explained how the LTA operated in relation to the insurance buybacks to schools to include a proposal about how future arrangements will work.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         A short discussion took place relating to what the position would be if a number of schools converted to academy status.

·         Schools’ Forum members thought that the scheme was good value for money and agreed to share the information with their respective Head Teacher consortia groups.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with the final details of the 2022/23 Schools Funding announcement by the Department for Education (DfE) on 16 December 2021.

Schools’ Forum members are requested to:

i)             Note the report and offer any further comments.

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

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum members with the final details of the 2022/23 Schools Funding announcement by the Department for Education (DfE) on 16 December 2021.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with an update on the 2022/23 total schools budget allocation and budget setting.  The report seeks approval of additional resources required within the schools’ block central reserve and also seeks approval of the final resource budget allocations for services/activities within the central school services block (CSSB).

Schools’ Forum members are requested to:

I)             Note the report

II)            Approve the additional resources required (£0.317m) within the schools’ block central reserve (as per section 4.6)

III)          Approve the final budget allocations within the CSSB (as per section 5/Appendix 3

IV)          Offer any further comments

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

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum members with an update on the 2022/23 total schools budget allocation and budget setting.  The report sought approval of additional resources required within the schools’ block central reserve and also sought approval of the final resource budget allocations for services/activities within the central school services block (CSSB).

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         A discussion took place in relation to some key elements of the report and budget setting updates.

·         In response to a Schools’ Forum Member question in relation to the pay award, the Forum was advised that everything was under discussion and nothing had been confirmed.

RESOLVED – (i) That the report be noted.

(ii) That the additional resources required (£0.317m) within the schools’ block central reserve (as per section 4.6 of the report) be approved.

(iii) that the final budget allocations within the CSSB (as per section 5/Appendix 3 of the report) be approved.

(iv) Officers to circulate ‘indicative’ budget figures to schools following the meeting.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with details of the final 2022/23 local Authority (LA) annual pro-forma toolkit (APT) return to be submitted to the Department for Education (DfE).

Schools’ Forum members are requested to note the report and offer any further comments.

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

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum members with details of the final 2022/23 local Authority (LA) annual pro-forma toolkit (APT) return to be submitted to the Department for Education (DfE).

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a verbal report of the Director of Children’s Services.

The verbal report updates Schools’ Forum members on the dedicated schools grant (DSG) Implementation.

Schools’ Forum members are asked to note and comment on the update.

Officer contact Bev Milway, 0161 218 1785 or email: bev.milway@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Education gave a verbal update on the current consultation with the staff affected by the proposed single ONE SEND/Inclusion service model.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         There were a number of questions from Schools’ Forum Members which centred on the process, next stage and further dialogue/communications required with Head Teachers and others ahead of the implementation stage which was planned for September 2022.

RESOLVED (i) That the report be noted.

(ii) That this matter is to remain as an ongoing agenda item for all future Schools’ Forum meetings.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides Schools’ Forum members with details of the calendar dates of meetings agreed for the 2021/22 academic year.

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

Schools Forum members are asked to:

a) note the report;

b) request any reports for future meetings;

c) note the 2021/2022 academic years dates provided at section 2.1

d) discuss options/plans for holding meetings from September 2021

e) Discuss and propose any amendments to the forward planner and

f) request any items for training/development sessions.

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

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided Schools’ Forum members with details of the calendar dates of meetings agreed for the 2021/22 academic year.

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

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         A short discussion took place regarding the continuation of virtual meetings and the previous agreement that at least one meeting per year would be face to face.

RESOLVED – (i) That the report be noted.

(ii) That until it became clear what the Local Authority strategy of what the return to office would look like and linked to the government’s recent removal of Plan B restrictions, that the March meeting be held by ‘virtual’ means with a 4pm start and then look to hold the May meeting face to face.

To discuss any other business.

There was no other business.