Agenda item

Letter from Acting Leader of the Council, Councillor Jeff Brooks, which has been sent to Sir Alok Sharma MP, Sir John Redwood MP and Laura Farris MP.

The Chair drew attention to the letter that had been sent from the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Jeff Brooks, to West Berkshire Members of Parliament (MP) regarding High Needs Block (HNB) funding.

The Chair reported that he had also sent a letter to Laura Farris MP regarding pressure facing the HNB. At the last Forum meeting in March, it had been requested it be looked into whether MPs could be invited to attend meetings of the Forum. Having checked the Schools’ Forum Regulations it had been agreed that a letter would be a more appropriate approach. Thoughts had been made very clear in the letter to Laura Farris regarding the level of funding for the HNB and a copy of the relevant section of minutes from the last meeting where the HNB was discussed was included. No response had yet been received.

Councillor Heather Codling referred to the letter to MPs from the Deputy Leader of the Council, which had been a result of an action from the last Forum meeting on 11^th March, where it had been requested that Councillors write to local MPs emphasising the matter of low funding for high needs.  It had been felt that a letter from the Deputy Leader would be the best approach. Councillor Codling believed Alok Sharma MP had responded but only to state that he would pass the matter onto colleagues. No response had yet been received from the other two West Berkshire MPs.

Trevor Keable reported that Denefield School had also written to the local MP Alok Sharma, who had subsequently responded to say he was leaving office and suggested that Ross Mackinnon be contacted who would be standing. The Labour representative who would be standing for Reading West had also been contacted. Trevor Keable reported that both had agreed to come and speak to Denefield School and talk through issues in July and other schools were welcome to attend if they wished. Trevor Keable felt that effort should be made to push political avenues in a clear, organised way that emphasised that education needed to be a priority in the new parliament.

The Chairman hoped that a response would be received from Laura Farris and other MPs prior to the next election. High Needs provision was a serious issue and he commended efforts made to push this forward.

RESOLVED that the Schools’ Forum noted the update.