Agenda item

The Forum considered a report (Agenda Item 15), which set out key school funding benchmarking information for 2016/17.

David Ramsden noting Appendix J, requested the Unitary Authorities 2016-17 Individual School Budgets vs Progress 8 Score 2016. Claire White agreed to circulate it with the minutes of the meeting.

Councillor Lynne Doherty noted that West Berkshire was spending more than its statistical neighbours on High Needs and asked if any comparison had been made with how those authorities were managing. Peter Hudson enquired whether there was an opportunity to work with those authorities. Ian Pearson explained that neighbours such as Hampshire had a large variety of special schools in their areas; the main pressure on the High Needs Block budget was specialist placements.

Bruce Steiner noted that the tables were not comparing like-for-like as each area had its own level of provision and challenges; he stated that Tower Hamlets might as well be in a different country for all its differences to West Berkshire.

Graham Spellman asked when information regarding the new funding formula might be known; Claire White responded that the government had advised it would be in the Autumn.

RESOLVED that:

·         the benchmarking tables be noted.

·         Claire White would circulate the Unitary Authorities 2016-17 Individual School Budgets vs Progress 8 Score 2016 with the minutes of the meeting.