Agenda and minutes

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 6^th October 2020.

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 6^th October 2020 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

For this meeting, any questions must be sent in writing to CommitteeServices@swindon.gov.uk by no later than 16:00 time on 3^rd December 2020 (two days before the meeting so that questioners can be sent instructions on how to join the meeting for that item. The question(s) and response(s) will be posted on the Council’s website as an Annex to the Minutes. 

In accordance with Standing Order 28, Mr Alastair Dixon-Patterson of Lydiard Park Academy, Swindon, submitted a written question regarding the undertaking of an Equalities Impact Assessment to support its proposed actions for the deficit recovery plan. 

The Chair thank Mr Dixon-Patterson for his question and said that a written response had been provided and circulated to all members.  Mr Dixon-Patterson confirmed that he had no supplementary questions.

The Forum considered a report by the Head of Finance, Children Services, on the 2021/22 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) settlement which is expected in January 2021. She opened her presentation (attached) by reminding members of their agreement to meet in January 2021 to agree the 2021/22 Dedicated Schools Grant Settlement and Budget. She drew attention to the report that provided members with the opportunity to review and agree the funding principles that will be used to prepare mainstream budgets for 2021/22. The report addressed the following: a) Local Mainstream Funding Formula Consultation Responses; b) Transfer of Schools funding block to High Needs Funding block- to include current High Needs Budget and draft 2021/22 budget; c) statutory services carried out on behalf of all schools and academies and d) statutory Services carried out on behalf of all maintained schools (the 2021/22 Education Function Charge).

The Head of Finance, Children Services gave a presentation and drew the following key issues to member’s attention:

• The current DSG deficit in Swindon.
• The expected additional funding of £3.335m for the HNF block in the next financial year.
• An estimated shortfall of £0.629m was expected next year.
• How other Local Authorities had similar pressures and how the Swindon deficit compared with theirs.
• The proposed process for the DSG recovery plan.
• The level of attendance at the three consultation sessions.
• The level of responses through the survey and an analysis of the outcomes.
• The low response rate to the survey and an analysis of the outcomes.
• A breakdown and information on the impact of each option was presented for members to vote on.
• How, at the request of Primary headteachers, Options 1 and 3 were split, providing other options for members to consider.
• An analysis of the variance on a per pupil basis for all schools. 
• The impact by the change of the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG)
• Varying outcomes of applying differential percentages to National Funding Formula (NFF) and MFG, which included a transfer to High needs blocks and how this would impact the DSG deficit.
• A breakdown of how the six options being considered would impact on the deficit levels over the next five years.

Following her presentation, the Head of Finance, Children Services responded to members’ comments and questions in respect of the following matters:

• The benefit of reducing the number of options to be considered.
• How in 2019/20, the LA retained a £17.00 per pupil Education Function charge fee to help meet the cost of providing its statutory duties for all maintained pupils and this was referred to in Appendix 5 of the report.
• An explanation of how the proposed 50p increase was arrived at as this percentage increase was higher than the staff salary percentage increase.
• The increase cost impact to maintained schools for the provision of statutory services by the LA as a result of local schools converting to academy status. 
• An education funding charge of £0.603m to be retained by the local authority for services provided to academy and maintained schools.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.