Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from:

Kirsten Cooper (Primary)

Simon London (Secondary Academy)

Chris Hobson (Primary) – represented by Bernadette Matthews

Maria Thompson (Post 16)

Katrina Karwacinski (Early Years PVI Sector)

Emma Allen was substituting for Geoff Wroe

The notes are attached at Appendix A.

The minutes of the meeting of the Forum held on 12 March 2015 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Mary Pattinson reported that an ESP meeting was scheduled to take place tomorrow; therefore she would provide an update at the next meeting on the SEN strategy.

(i)            To agree the balance of representation between schools and academies.  Appendix B refers.

(ii)          To note the election process for representation. Appendix B.1refers

(iii)         To note the resignation of Daniel Gricks, Academy Governors representative

(iv)         To note that the process is underway for electing governor representatives of maintained schools

(i)          David Allen explained the structure and election process of School and Academy Representation; Appendices B and B1 detailed the balance of membership between the various groups represented and there was a discussion on the options for revision based on January 2015 pupil numbers.  It was noted that for Academies there was flexibility in the category of representation; it could for example be a School Business Manager.

It was noted that Special Academies and Alternative Provision Academies would each need their own representative.

In view of the rapid changes in pupil numbers it was agreed to reconsider this issue on the basis of October 2015 pupil numbers.  If, at that stage it was agreed to increase academy membership, given the strategic nature of the meeting, the issue of representation would be raised at the Secondary Head Teachers Group meeting.   When the time came David Allen would follow the required process and write to “the proprietors of academies” regarding vacancies.

(ii)         The resignation of Daniel Gricks, Academy Governor representative was noted.

(iii)       For the primary governor vacancies, expressions of Interest had been received and it was expected that the new members would be in place by the next meeting.

(iv)       It was noted that Joe Webster had resigned as governor of a secondary school and Christine Drew as governor of the pupil referral service.  Neither was eligible to serve on the Funding Forum which created additional vacancies.  David Allen would follow this up.

To receive the Section 251 Budget Statement for 2015-16.  Appendix C refers.

The Forum received and discussed the Section 251 Budget Statement – Appendix C.  This was the statutory statement of planned LA expenditure for Children’s Services including schools and would be published on the Havering website shortly.

The LA Table showed budgets for the following:

1.0.1     Individual Schools Budget – the funding allocated to schools and early years providers through the funding formula.  Reference was made to an additional table giving a further breakdown of the funding to providers of early education for 2, 3 and 4 year olds based on hourly rates.  For special schools the funding represented the number of places x £10,000 and for AP £8,000 per place rising to £10,000 in September 2015.

1.1.1     - 1.1.9 These lines showed the budgets de-delegated from maintained schools for services such as behaviour support, maternity insurance and trade union facility time.

1.2.1 – 1.2.12 High Needs Block expenditure for areas such as top up provision for places commissioned for children with special needs at LBH special schools, out of borough schools, independent and non maintained provision and F.E. colleges.  Top up provision for AP placements in the pupil referral service was also within this block

1.3.1  The budget for the Early Years QA Team and a contingency for additional places during the year

1.4.1 – 1.4.12 Other (mainly Schools Block) expenditure held centrally e.g. for School Admissions, pupil growth etc.

The total amount of DSG was £195 million of which £76.8m was recouped by the EFA for allocation to academies.

The rest of the report detailed central (non DSG) expenditure for Education and Children’s Social Care.  The Education expenditure included those budgets that were funded through the Education Services Grant which in 2015-16 had been reduced from £113 to £87 per pupil.

The following questions/issues were raised:

• Staff costs; supply cover for facility time i.e. covering Union duties
• Special Schools and Alternative Provision: an allocation for each place plus allocations per pupil based on the matrix of special need.  The PRS received an allocation per place plus a top up per pupil 
• High needs – this is the most challenging area – will revisit at a later meeting with a more details analysis
• Termination of employment costs - It would be checked if this budget was still required
• Capital Expenditure from Revenue – this was a DSG contribution for the energy saving contracts in four secondary schools that expired in 2017.  At that point the £87k would available for allocation elsewhere in the DSG
• Exceptions agreed by Secretary of State – this covers National Copywrite Licences
• Cost of buying in services – members asked about the details of these costs. The 251 Budget Statement historically does not include this type of detail, both Mary Pattinson and David Allen are happy to discuss details individually with members as the data can sometimes be very complex.

To note how the values applied by Havering to the 2015-16 formula compare to those used by other LAs.  Appendix D refers.

The Schools Block Funding Formulae - which is an analysis of local authorities’ schools was discussed.  David Allen talked members through this report and explained where Havering sits in relation to other LAs.  This comparative data would be used to inform future reviews of the funding formula.  It was noted that the funding ration between primary and secondary sectors was 1:1.36 whereas the national average was 1:1.28.  Some further work would be carried out to model the impact of bringing the Havering average closer to the national position.

To note the criteria for schools to apply for capital funding for early years provision on school sites.  Appendix E refers.

Martin Shipp discussed the report on the criteria for the allocation of early years capital funding for the expansion of nursery provision on school sites.  A copy of the “Invitation for Expressions of Interest” to be circulated to schools was included in the report for completion and return by the end of the summer term.  Schools would be notified of the outcome in the autumn term (probably November) and a report produced for the Funding Forum.  The timescale for the completion of the works would be dependent on the specific requirements of each of the successful applications.

The next meeting has been arranged as follows:

18 June 2015

All meetings to be held at CEME at 8.30am.

18 June 2015

Meeting to be held at CEME at 8.30am.

There was no other business.