Agenda item

Ian Pearson introduced the report (Agenda Item 6), which set out the details, cost and charges to schools of the services on which maintained school representatives were required to vote whether or not they should be de-delegated.

Services were only de-delegated to mainstream schools however, academies were able to buy back the majority of de-delegated services.

Ian Pearson drew attention to the recommendations under section two of the report which were phased. The recommendation under section 2.1 for primary schools included an additional de-delegated fund which was the Primary Schools in Financial Difficulty Fund. It was also highlighted that the recommendation related to funding in 2020/21 and not 2019/21 as stated in the report.

Regarding Health and Safety services, Health and Safety Level One included Option Two services, which was the most basic option of services. Schools wishing to offer a more comprehensive level of service could buy back services included in Option One.

The proposals set out in the report would be included in the consultation with all schools on the proposed school funding arrangements for 2020/21. The recommendations detailed under section two of the report, were those that had been supported by the Heads funding Group at its meeting on the 26^th November 2019. Given that the information would be sent out shortly to schools for consultation a final decision would not be sought from the Schools’ Forum regarding de-delegated services until its meeting on 20^th January 2020, once the consultation period had concluded.  At this stage agreement was required regarding the information that should be included within the consultation document.

Jonathon Chishick noted on the table under section three of the report that the 2020/21 Primary Budget for the Schools in Financial Difficulty Fund was marked as ‘to be confirmed’. Jonathon Chishick noted that the balance of the fund was at £181k and recalled that a threshold had been set for the fund of £250k. He therefore queried if the reserve would need topping up. Ian Pearson referred to paragraph 8.2 of the report, which made the assumption that there would be no further bids to the fund in 2019/20. They had not however, reached the end of the financial year and therefore further bids were possible. The issue was therefore whether they should work on the basis that the shortfall should form the target that needed to be de-delegated. This would be included in the consultation. Keith Harvey queried the threshold that had been agreed and recalled that it was £200k rather than £250k. Ian Pearson confirmed that this point would be checked. (Post minute comment: this was subsequently checked and confirmed as £200k).

Ian Nichol referred to the table under section 5.2 regarding the Therapeutic Thinking Service (Previously Behaviour Intervention) and noted that the budget for Primary Schools had risen by only £6k for 2020/21 however, the cost per pupil had risen substantially. Melanie Ellis reported that this was due to there being fewer pupils to spread funding over, due to academy conversion. Ian Nichol commented that it would be helpful to include pupil numbers within the table.

Ian Pearson stated that as part of the process the Schools’ Forum could agree what was set out within the report or alternatively that some costs should be reduced. If the latter was decided then the figures sent to schools as part of the consultation would need to be adjusted.

The Chairman asked the Schools’ Forum if it agreed in principle with the recommendations set out under section two of the report, which would be included in the consultation with schools. As there were no maintained secondary headteachers present the Forum was unable to consider section 2.2.

Keith Harvey proposed that maintained primary school members support the information set out in section 2.1 of the report, and this was seconded by Antony Gallagher. At the vote the motion was carried.

Jon Hewitt proposed that maintained special, nursery and PRU schools support the information set out in section 2.3 of the report and this was seconded by Jacquie Davies. At the vote the motion was carried.

RESOLVED that

·         The threshold for the Primary Schools in Financial Difficulty Fund would be checked and confirmed at the next meeting of the Schools’ Forum in January.

·         Pupil numbers to be included within the table under section 5.2 regarding the Therapeutic Thinking Service, for the next meeting in January 2020.

·         The relevant maintained school members supported the recommendations set out in section two of the report that would return to the Schools’ Forum on 20^th January 2020 for final decision, once the consultation with schools had concluded.