Agenda item

Lisa Potts introduced the report (Agenda Item 8), which set out the details, costs and charges to schools of the services on which maintained school representatives were required to vote (on an annual basis). This information would be included in the consultation with schools if approved by the Schools’ Forum. 

Lisa Potts stated which services the de-delegations consisted of. Previously all de-delegations had been based on pupil numbers from the October census. This information would be available within the next couple of weeks.

At the HFG, it had been queried why there was a difference between how funding was calculated for the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS) compared to other services. It was questioned whether this should continue to be funded based on pupil numbers with English as a second language, or based on pupil numbers like the other de-delegated services. This was being looked into.

Lisa Potts highlighted that the costs for the School Improvement Team had increased and this was because the area had previously been funded by a grant. Some savings from the grant had been used to off-set costs in 2023/24 however, moving forward in to 2024/25 the level of underspend was much lower causing the cost to be pushed up.

Lisa Potts explained that other areas had increased in cost by about three to four percent, which was the normal amount expected to cover the cost of staffing.

The Chair referred the Forum back to the recommendation 2.1 (4) of the previous report (Agenda Item 7), which was to approve the information on the proposed services to be de-delegated to go out to consultation with schools.

RESOLVED that the Schools’ Forum approved that the information on de-delegations as set out in recommendation 2.1 (4) of agenda item 7, be included in the consultation with schools.