Agenda item

Lisa Potts introduced the report (Agenda Item 8), which set out the details, cost and charges to schools of the services on which maintained school representatives were required to vote on an annual basis. Appendix A to the report provided a breakdown of costs based on the most recent census data and the amount individual schools would be charged.

Lisa Potts reported that one difference from previous years was that there had been a suggestion to calculate the Ethnic Minority Service on a per pupil basis rather than the number of learners that had English as an additional language (EAL) as it had been previously.

The Vice Chair invited the Forum to comment on the recommendations within the report and no comments were raised.

The Vice-Chair invited the Forum to consider the recommendation under section 2.1 of the report. It was proposed and seconded that representatives of maintained primary and secondary schools opt to recharge the cost of the Ethnic Minority Service on a per pupil basis rather than based on students with English as an additional language (EAL). At the vote with maintained primary and secondary representatives the motion was carried.

The Vice-Chair invited Primary School Representatives to vote on the recommendation under 2.2 of the report as follows:

2.2: That representatives of maintained primary schools should agree to de-delegate funds in the 2024/25 financial year for:

·       Behaviour Support Services

·       Ethnic Minority Support

·       Trade Union Representation

·       CLEAPSS

·       School Improvement

·       Statutory and Regulatory Duties comprising:

-       Statutory accounting functions in respect of schools

-       Internal Audit of schools

-       Administration of pensions for school staff

·       Health and Safety Service to Schools

It was proposed and seconded that the recommendation be approved. At the vote with maintained primary members the motion was carried.

The Vice-Chair invited maintained secondary head representatives to vote on the recommendation under 2.3 of the report as follows:

2.3: That representatives of maintained secondary schools should agree to de-delegate funds in the 2024/25 financial year for:

·       Behaviour Support Services Ethnic Minority Support

·       Trade Union Representation

·       CLEAPSS

·       School Improvement

·       Statutory and Regulatory Duties comprising:

-       Statutory accounting functions in respect of schools

-       Internal Audit of schools

-       Administration of pensions for school staff

·       Health and Safety Service to Schools

It was proposed and seconded that the recommendation be approved. At the vote with maintained secondary members the motion was carried.

The Vice-Chair invited maintained special, nursery and PRU head representatives to vote on the recommendation under 2.4 of the report as follows:

2.4: That representatives of maintained special, nursery and PRU heads should agree to de-delegate funds in the 2024/25 financial year for:

·       Trade Union Representation

·       CLEAPSS (Special schools and PRU only)

·       Statutory and Regulatory Duties comprising:

-       Statutory accounting functions in respect of schools

-       Internal Audit of schools

-       Administration of pensions for school staff

·       Health and Safety Service to Schools

It was proposed and seconded by the maintained special and nursery headteachers that the recommendation be approved. At the vote the motion was carried.

RESOLVED that:

·       In considering recommendation 2.1 it was agreed that the cost of the Ethnic Minority Service be recharged on a per pupil basis rather than based on students with English as an additional language (EAL)

·       Recommendations 2.2 to 2.4 were approved by the Forum.