Agenda and minutes

Resolved – That Jackie Smith be Chair of the Schools Forum for the Municipal Years 2019/20 and 2020/21.

Resolved – That Karen Pyman be Vice Chair of the Schools Forum for the Municipal Years 2019/20 and 2020/21.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th January 2019.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th January 2019 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Head of Education confirmed that according to the Schools Forum’s regulations as set out in the Council’s Constitution, in the absence of a member of the Forum, a local arrangement had to be in place for a substitute to sit on the Forum and enjoy the same privileges as the absentee.  The Schools Forum agreed that this arrangement be implemented immediately and welcomed Sandra Muir as a substitute for James Povoas to the meeting in his absence.  

There were no public questions submitted for this meeting.

The Chair noted that in accordance with Standing Order 28, Mr Alastair Dixon-Patterson of Lydiard Park Academy, Swindon had submitted public questions for the Schools Forum meeting of the 2^nd April 2019.  Subsequently, the meeting was cancelled and a response was sent directly to Mr Dixon-Paterson.

The Finance Manager, Education, presented a report regarding the final position of the 2018/19 retained Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budget following closure of the Local Authorities 2018/19 final accounts. The report provided information on the final spend against the 2018/19 centrally retained budget including commentaries on those areas of the budget where forecast figures proved to be inaccurate. The Finance Manager advised that the retained DSG was monitored in accordance with standard Council budgetary control procedures and submitted monthly to the Education Leadership Team and was also periodically submitted to the Corporate Management Team and Cabinet.

The Finance Manager referred to the latest outturn position and explained that the latest projection was an out-turn position of £0.332m below budget.  This was impacted by the allocation of £0.524 of DSG funding in December 2018 by the Department for Education (DfE).  She explained that £0.296m of the Early Years funding would be used to ensure sufficiency of places and that a request to access this funding would be made to School Forum members in the future.  Members were advised that after allowing for the out-turn position and the 2018/19 Early Years expenditure agreed by Schools Forum at the meeting on 17^th January 2018, the DSG balance would be £0.956m.

The Finance Manager referred to the financial movement over the year which included a) an increase in the High Needs Top-ups following banding adjustments in special and mainstream settings; b) an increase in the number of pupils supported by the High Needs Top-ups; c) a reduction in post 16 student enrolment; d) a reduction of external placement fees and e) a net saving across low risk retained budgets.  These financial movements resulted in an overall favourable net effect.

Resolved - That it be noted that:

(a) The final outturn position on the 2018-19 retained budget will be £0.332m below budget.

            (b) The Early Years expenditure £0.296m to create additional places was carried forward and a request will be made to use this funding during 2019/20.

            (c) Afterallowing for the out-turn position and 2018/19 Early Years expenditure for sufficiency of places previously agreed through Schools Forum in January 2018, the unallocated DSG balance will be £0.956m

The Finance Manager, Education, submitted a report on the latest projected 2019/20 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) retained budget position. It was noted that the latest projection on the 2019/20 retained budget was an outturn position of £1.595m above budget.  The projected outturn position and settlement of the DSG High Needs budget indicate that the balance would decrease to a defiit balance of £0.991m.

The Finance Manager referred to the variances within the Retained Budget position and explained that the increased demand for High Needs Top-ups was affecting the financial forecast and the forecast based on known demand was £1.397m above budget and the Post 16 budget is expected to be £0.198m over the agreed budget as of May 2019.   She explained that following the projected forecast of £1.595m, the value of the unallocated DSG balance would be a deficit of £0.639m and requested that £0.352m of DSG reserves be used to balance the 2019-20 DSG High Needs budget, leaving a deficit balance of £0.991m to be mitigated.  The Schools Forum was advised that Early Years had also contributed £0.296m of retained funding to the DSG reserve at year end.

Resolved – (1) That it be noted that:

(a) The estimated outturn position on the 2019-20 retained budget is £1.595m above the budget estimate.

            (b) Following the projected outturn position and settlement of the DSG High Needs budget, the DSG balance will be in deficit with the amount of £0.991m to be mitigated. 

            (2) That Schools Forum agreed to:

            (a) Its January 2019 request to balance the 2019-20 DSG High Needs budget by using £0.352m of reserves

            (b) The use of £0.296m of DSG reserves which was transferred to reserves at year end from Early Years 2018/19 retained funding, for the sufficiency places. 

            (3) That further to 2b above, the DSG balance to be mitigated would be a deficit of £1.287m.

The Head of Education submitted a report on the current and projected position for the 2019/20 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs block and referred to the need of a partnership approach to achieve a balanced High Needs budget position by 2023 to ensure a sustainable, fair and equitable use of the High Needs budget for special educational needs and disability (SEND) and alternative provisions.  He advised that the report addressed the following topics:

1)    Inclusion update

2)    Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency

3)    Letter to the Secretary of State, Education

4)    Department for Education Call for Evidence

5)    Termination of Employment Costs

6)    2019/20 DSG High Needs Budget

7)    DSG High Needs Review Update

The Head of Education drew Schools Forum’s attention to the recommendations with particular focus on the following points:

·      The importance of supporting Holy Family Catholic Primary School financially to ensure the high demand for Early Years places in the area was met.

·         Allocation of DSG funding to cover the Early Years places lost through the closure of Bright Horizons nursery provision in Wroughton.

·         Following the request from the Department for Education (DfE) for supporting evidence regarding the Call for Evidence SEND Consultation for Swindon, School Forum members were encouraged either to respond directly or provide evidence to the Local Authority for inclusion in its submission consultation.

·         The submission of a DSG recovery plan as required by the DfE following a DSG deficit, with a report on the approach to be taken to be submitted to Cabinet at its meeting on the 16^th October 2019.

·         The discussions held with the Swindon Association of Primary Headteachers regarding the need to have volunteers on the DSG High Needs Sub Group to explore the best ways to reduce the DSG funding gap.

·         The need to finalise the draft banding tool developed in partnership with multi-agency working group to ensure an effective tool be implemented for high needs top-ups allocation.

Following the introduction of the report, the Head of Education, with the Finance Manager and the Strategic Commissioner responded to members’ questions and comments on the following issues:

·         How the 2019/20 funding for Riverside and [AM1] Oakfield would be paid through the DSG over the next year.

·         The reasons behind the Bright Horizons Nursery closure in Wroughton.

·         The increase over the past year of nursery places made available by schools.

·         The type of evidence to be submitted in the Call for Evidence to the Department for Education.

·         The increase over the past year in the number of children in Swindon with Education and Health Care Plans (EHCP) requiring financial assistance.

·         The national challenge faced by local authorities to finance the increase in the number of children needing EHCPs

·         The financial challenges schools were facing to ensure timely provision of services to children with EHCPs.

·         The pressures on the Local Authority’s budget and how vulnerable children and adults were prioritised to receive funding for services. 

·         The importance of having cross section Schools Forum representation on the Schools Forum High Needs  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.