Agenda item

Jane Seymour introduced the report (Agenda Item 9), which aimed to provide an update on the Invest to Save initiatives agreed in 2022-23 and seek permanent funding within the High Needs Block. Jane Seymour drew attention to the projects that had been funded initially in 2022/23 as invest to save projects set out in section 4.1 of the report. Jane Seymour highlighted that the early years SEND training project (31,324) had subsequently been funded from an alternative source, so consideration was only required on the other three projects:

• Additional 0.4FTE post in Early Development and Inclusion Team (EDIT) £26,390
• Additional 1FTE SEMH worker £41,490
• Additional I-College places £90,000

Jane Seymour stated that the report set out the impacts of each of the above projects in detail. Each of the projects aligned with the SEND Strategy in trying to reduce pressure on the HNB. Jane Seymour added that in view of the position facing the HNB there was a change to the recommendation in the report, which was originally that the projects should continue into next year through permanent funding from the HNB. It was now proposed that if the schools block transfer or claw back went ahead that potentially the projects could be funded from this funding, if agreed by the Schools’ Forum.

AnnMarie Dodds apologised for the late change in the recommendation however, given the discussions and difficulties facing the HNB it was not felt that the original recommendation was legitimate. AnnMarie Dodds stated that what she was seeking was agreement in principle from the Schools’ Forum that the activity supported achieving savings in the longer term. This was not withstanding the point made by Gemma Piper earlier in the meeting regarding evidencing savings achieved through investment. AnnMarie Dodds reported that if agreement was reached in principle, then information would return to the Forum at a later stage regarding how the activity would be funded, given the pressures in the HNB. 

Michelle Sancho highlighted that the latest version of the agenda pack included the recommendation from the HFG under section eight.

Chris Prosser raised the point that when transfers of funding from the Schools’ Block to the HNB had been agreed in the past, the funding had been used for invest to save projects. He felt that it would make sense for the 0.25 percent transfer to be used for the initiatives set out in the report.

Michelle Sancho commented that there had been uncertainty around if a transfer would be agreed in advance of the meeting. Based on the comments from Chris Prosser it would make sense for there to be a proposal for the projects to be supported by the transfer. The Vice-Chair felt that this proposal should be brought to a future meeting and not considered at the current meeting. AnnMarie Dodds felt that given that there were other issues for discussion including the claw back and the DBV, decisions could not be taken in isolation where the HNB was concerned. It was important to ensure there was enough time to provide consideration to what savings would be made and how this could be quantified. A trail needed to be provided that was auditable and demonstrated that the decisions being taken around HNB spend were legitimate in terms of the long term position.

The Vice Chair suggested the Schools’ Forum indicate through a show of hands if it agreed in principle with taking the matter forward.

RESOLVED that

• the Schools’ Forum was supportive in principle of the projects set out in section 4.1 of the report.
• Information would return to the Schools’ Forum at a later stage regarding the invest to save projects.