Agenda item

Melanie Ellis introduced the report which sought to approve the proposed consultation on the updated Scheme for Financing Schools.

Melanie Ellis reported that it was an annual report that required approval from the Schools’ Forum on the proposed consultation. Appendix A to the report set out the changes that had been made to the Scheme for Financing Schools. It was proposed that the updated document should go out to consultation for three weeks from 21^st October until 11^th November 2020 and that the updated Scheme was in place from 1^st April 2021.

Catie Colston referred to page 48 of the agenda pack, which highlighted some of the changes to the Scheme for Financing Schools. Catie Colston drew attention to the directed revision under paragraph 2.3.1; Submission of financial forecasts, which stated that ‘From the 2021 to 2022 funding year each school must submit a 3-year budget forecast’ Catie Colston queried if schools would have enough information to do this. Melanie Ellis reported that the section referred to was a directed revision and therefore had to be adopted. Schools would however, be supported with this.

Catie Colston noted the section on redundancies was being removed however, queried why there was nothing to replace it. Melanie Ellis believed that the missing information was an error and not a material change.

The Chairman invited the relevant members of the Schools’ Forum to consider the recommendation under section 2.1 of the report. Chris Prosser proposed that the recommendation be agreed and this was seconded by David Ramsden. At the vote the motion was carried.

RESOLVED that all maintained school members of the Schools’ Forum agreed that the updated Scheme for Financing Schools go out to consultation in line with the recommendation under section 2.1.