Agenda and minutes

To note that:

(i) Garth Tucker has joined the Schools Funding Forum as the representative of Cluster B. Emma Allen will continue as the LA Maintained special school representative.

Apologies were received for the absence of Emma Allen (Claire Lakin substituting), Vicki Fackler and David Turrell.

To agree the notes of the meeting held on 21st October 2021 as a correct and accurate record.

The Chairman notified the Clerk of a spelling error under Item 88. Kate Ridley-Moy and Neil Frost had sent apologies for their absence.

Otherwise the minutes of the meeting were agreed as a correct record. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chairman would signed them at a later date

The Local Authority had received agreement from the Department for Education for the disapplication of lump sum funding for St Ursula’s Catholic Primary School.

The Forum noted that the funding consultation with schools had taken place between 12th and 30th November 2021, presenting the two options discussed at the Forum meeting held on 21st October 2021.

Thirty-three schools had responded to the consultation, a much higher number than in recent years. Thirty schools were in favour of Option B that included the transfer of 0.5% of the Schools Block to the High Needs Block.

The Forum was reminded that, at this stage, all funding calculations used indicative figures based on October 2020 census numbers. No further action was needed until final funding allocations were released by the DfE later in December.

The issue of de-delegation of funding for the EAL and Attendance and Behaviour Services for 2022-23 was brought back to the Forum, after first being considered at the meeting held on 23rd September 2021.

Having discussed the matter with colleagues in their clusters, members agreed to de-delegate funding. Members of the Forum were, however, unhappy that de-delegation of costs for the Attendance and Behaviour Services were considered together and they also sought a review into the quality and capacity of the Behaviour Support Service. Members noted that the LA would be conducting a review into the service that had recently been re-aligned.

The representatives of local authority maintained schools primary schools on the Forum agreed to de-delegate funding with a unanimous vote.

The Forum was presented with details of the Government consultation ‘Reforming how local authorities’ school improvement functions are funded’ which had commenced on 29th October 2021 and ended on 26th November 2021.

Members noted the DfE proposal to reduce the value of the School Improvement Monitoring and Brokerage Grant by 50% in financial year 2022-23 and withdraw it completely from 2023-24. Members were advised that Havering currently receives £169k a year from this grant which covers costs of core statutory improvement functions carried out by local authorities.

Local authorities would be given the power to fund all improvement activity, including core activity, via de-delegation. De-delegation requires the agreement of Schools Forums or the Secretary of State. The LA advised the Forum that it was likely that a request to de-delegate funding for core school improvement activities would be brought to members at the next meeting to be held on 13th January 2022.

Future meetings have been arranged as follows:

13 January 2021

10 February 2021

16 June 2021

Meetings to start at 8.00 a.m. at CEME rooms 233-235

The Forum noted that the next meeting would be held on 13 January 2021 at 8.00am.

Tara Geere, who had recently taken up the post of Assistant Director of Children’s Social Care and Early Help, introduced herself to the Forum.