Agenda item

            The Finance Manager, Education, submitted an update on the 2018/19 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).  She confirmed that a similar report was submitted at the Forum’s meeting on the 17^th January 2018 and members agreed that an update on various issues would be submitted at this meeting.  She advised that the report addressed the following topics:

1.               The Oakfield Project

2.               High Needs update including the impact of September 2018 increase in places and an update on Special Free School Place funding

3.               Advisory Teaching Services (previously referred to as Commissioned Services)

4.               Post 16 budget update

5.               Early Years Funding

6.               Notional SEN

7.               Termination of employment costs

8.               SEND Capital

9.               Basic Need Funding

10.            Free Schools

11.            Consultation on 2019/20 Local Funding Formula for Schools and Academies

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

• The growth in child population in Swindon affecting the High Needs budget.
• Social care funding boosting the DSG.
• Funding residential provision.
• Undirected funding available for the DSG.
• The LA’s review of the special Educational Needs and Disability Assessment and Commissioning Team (SENDACT). 
• How a deficit in the DSG may affect the High Needs Funding Block.

·         Post-16 top-up funding.

          Resolved – (1) That it be noted that:

a)    The Oakfield project will transfer as an entity to EOTAS and this

will take place by the end of the 2018/19 academic year (July 2019).

b)    The report included an update on the intended actions in 2018-19

For High Needs.

c)    The report included details on the  2019/20 full year impact of the

increased places in September 2018.

d)    There will be change in responsibility for funding places in Special

Free Schools from April 2019.

e)    A full review of the Advisory Teaching Services will be reported

to Schools Forum in October.

f)     the LA’s latest estimate was that a total of 353 FTE post  (excluding

sixth form) high needs students will need to be financed during the 2018/19 academic year.

g)    the report included information on the annual allocations for

categories of providers, the overall financial year and academic year budget position as shown in Table 3.

h)   a contingency budget of £0.230m for 88 identified high needs

students with no confirmed destination in the financial year (Table 3) will be implemented.

i)     the current budgeted figures would result in an underspend of

£380k, and that the banding values / contingency will be reviewed as part of the October Schools Forum report (Table 3).

j)      the indicative banding values will be reviewed if there was

significant variance in actual take up of places.

k)    the outcome of a consultation to be carried out in autumn

2018 will be reported to January’s Schools Forum meeting for implementation prior to the commencement of the summer term 2019.

l)     a further consultation will take place on options for the 2018/19

Notional SEN formula.

m)  The report included an update on SEND Capital. 

n)   The report included an update on Basic Need Funding

o)    The report included an update on Free Schools

p)    The LA will arrange a consultation event for all schools and

Academies in November regarding schools’ budgets.

q)    An Extraordinary Schools Forum meeting may be required in

December 2018 to agree on principles of the new formula for 2019/20.

(2) That with regard to the 2018/19 DSG the following be agreed:

            a)  To set up a High Needs Sub Group.

            b)  The 2018/19 indicative banding values be as shown in Table 4.

            c)  A stakeholder consultation by the Early Years team be undertaken

to assess the impact of reducing the number of Tasks per term, and to increase the funding paid up front for 3 and 4 year olds from 50% to 75% and also to assess demand for monthly payments.

            d) A stakeholder consultation be undertaken assessing the impact of amending the middle rate funding criteria for 3 and 4 year old funding.

            e) That further to (d) above, the Finance Manager, Education, submit an update at a future meeting of this Forum.

            f)  That the LA can offset any termination of employment costs against the savings made in each DSG service area, where the termination of employment costs are less than the savings incurred.

            g) That further to (f) above, the Finance Manager, Education, liaises with those schools that were to be affected.

            h) That the LA will apply to the Secretary of State for a Disapplication of the Finance Regulations in autumn 2018.

          (3) That Finance Manager be requested to circulate information regarding the decrease in new statutory plans and the SEN support being provided.