Agenda item

Melanie Ellis introduced the report (Agenda Item 7), which set out the proposed 2022/23 budgets for the Growth fund, Primary Schools in Financial Difficulty fund (SIFD) and Additional High Needs fund.

Melanie Ellis reported that a discussion was required on the Growth Fund. This funding would be awarded in December 2021 and it was anticipated that about £900k would be awarded to the Local Authority based on growth rate. The table under section 5.4 of the report detailed the estimated draw on the growth fund up to 31^st March 2023. It showed that currently there was £1.5m in the fund and Highwood Copse would need to be supported from this as a new school. It was expected by March 2023 that there would still be £786k in the Growth Fund.  The recommendation supported by the HFG was therefore that the current year estimated allocation of £900k should be distributed back out to schools via the schools formula. Melanie Ellis reported that this approach had also been agreed in 2020/21 however, the funding had been used to increase the HNB transfer.

Regarding the Schools in Financial Difficulty Fund (SIFDF) it had been agreed in previous years that the fund should be kept topped up to £200k. It was topped up through de-delegations when it fell below this amount. No bids had yet been approved in the current year however, there were several bids for consideration being presented to January HFG meeting. Agreement was being sought from the Forum to top the fund back up to £200k if required at the beginning of the next financial year.

Finally regarding additional funding for high needs, Melanie Ellis reported that the proposed spending for this area was set out in the table under 7.1. The proposal was to set aside £40k for this fund in 2022/23. Ian Pearson clarified that this was fund that provided financial support to schools that had reached the financial trigger point to make their own contribution to EHCPs. It had been queried at the HFG what would happen if requests from schools for this purpose reached over the allocated £40k. Ian Pearson reported that no school would be disadvantaged if this was to occur and if more than £40k was required then this would be spent to ensure the Local Authority’s commitment to schools to provide the top up funding was met.  

The Chair asked if there were any queries regarding any of the proposals set out within 2.1 of the report and no queries were raised. The relevant Forum representatives moved on to vote on each of the proposals.

Jon Hewitt proposed that the 2022/23 growth funding should be distributed to all schools (2.2). This was seconded by Richard Hawthorne. At the vote the motion was carried.

Jonathan Chishick proposed that the SIFDF should be topped up to £200k (2.2). This was seconded by Hilary Latimer. At the vote the motions was carried.

Hilary Latimer proposed that the additional high needs fund should be set at £40k (2.3). This was seconded by Ian Nichol. At the vote the motion was carried.

RESOLVED that recommendations 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 as set out in the report were approved by the Schools’ Forum.