Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Gary Haynes, Emma Reynolds and Garth Tucker

To elect a Chair and Vice-Chair until the first meeting of the 2023 autumn term.

The Forum voted unanimously for Kirsten Cooper to take the Chair until the first meeting of the autumn term 2023.

The Forum voted unanimously for David Turrell to take the Vice-Chair until the first meeting of the autumn term 2023.

To agree the notes of the meeting held on 16^th June 2022 as a correct and accurate record.

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record.

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

The Forum was presented with the Dedicated Schools Grant, Schools Block provisional allocation for 2023-24.

Members noted the increase in the allocation per pupil of 2.24% and the revised National Funding Formula rates for 2023-24. Members were advised that for 2023-24 the minimum funding guarantee (MFG) could be set between 0.0% and 0.5% meaning that those schools on the MFG would receive, at best, a small per pupil increase in funding.

Members noted that the figures provided were provisional, based on pupil data from October 2021. The DfE would release the final allocations, based on October 2022 data in December. The total number of pupils was likely to be higher, in part because there had been a significant increase in pupils moving into the Borough and joining schools during the school year.

The Forum

·         Noted the announcements on schools funding for 2023-24

·         Agreed to apply the national funding formula rates to schools data in calculating schools’ funding

The provisional DSG High Needs Block allocation was presented to the Forum.

Members that although there was an overall increase in funding of 11.2% this was lower than the increase for the previous year. Members noted that the allocation was, in part, based on historic spend and that this element of the formula would not reflect changes in the numbers of pupils with high needs, or the increased complexity of need,

The Forum noted the report.

The Forum was presented with the Central School Services Block (CSSB) 2023-24.

Members noted that funding for historical commitments had been reduced by 20%. Funding for ongoing responsibilities has increased by £34k.

Members were advised that the CSSB covered services provided to both schools and academies which was different to de-delegated funding which related to LA maintained schools only.

The Forum agreed the retention of funding for statutory services and the LA’s proposed use of the funding.

The Forum was presented with the LA proposals for the de-delegation of funding for seven services provided centrally and for two core statutory services.

At the suggestion of the chair, the Forum agreed that all areas for de-delegation should be discussed in clusters before any decision was taken. The outcome of the discussions would be fed back at the next meeting.

The Forum received a report on Schools’ Business Rates for 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Members noted that the proposal that the DfE would pay Business Rates direct to the Council had not been implemented in Havering for 2022-23 but may be implemented for 2023-24.

For the current year arrangements for academies would remain the same as in previous years. LA maintained schools has been advised not to budget or rates in 2022-23 on the basis that the proposed change would go ahead. The correction required, in light of the system remaining unchanged, would be made by accounting entry, rather than requiring schools to submit revised budgets.

The Forum noted the report.

The Forum were presented with the summary of the Government Consultation ‘Implementing the Direct National Funding Formula’ launched in June 2022. This was a follow up to the earlier consultation ‘Fair school funding for all: completing our reforms to the National Funding Formula’.

Members noted the LAs response to the follow up consultation. Members specifically noted a proposed change to the way local authorities are funded for growth and falling rolls, and a proposed change to the way in which LAs were able to allocate this funding to schools. This was the proposed reform likely to have the biggest impact in Havering.

The Forum noted the report and consultation response.

The Forum was presented with the Delivering Better Value (DBV) in SEND programme.

Members noted the DBV was to be rolled out in 55 Local Authorities with DSG deficits including Havering. Trevor Cook gave details of a meeting that he had attended with the Director of Children’s Services and the Council’s Section 151 Officer. They had met representatives from Newton Europe, the company appointed by the DfE to help deliver the programme. The representatives from Newton Europe had agreed that Havering were already carrying out many of the activities that would be expected of an LA seeking to reduce the DSG deficit whilst continuing to improve the quality of high needs provision.

The Forum noted regular updates would be brought to future meetings.

The Forum noted the report.

The Forum discussed cost pressures facing the education system.

Schools had received funding via the Schools Supplementary Grant to cover the increase in National Insurance and ‘other cost pressures’. Since then there had been a larger than anticipated recommended rise in teachers’ pay and a larger than anticipated pay offer to support staff.

Pay for most teachers was expected to rise by 5% from 1 September 2022 with larger rises for those on the main scale points 1-5. Support staff had been offered an increase of £1,925 on all spinal points, which equated to a rise of 8.5% for most teaching assistants and midday supervisors. The support staff pay rise, when agreed, would be applicable backdated to 1 April 2022. In addition, schools and academies that were not on fixed rates had faced large increases in the cost of energy.

The cost increases would cause financial difficulty for many schools with more moving into deficit.

Nick Carter would issue advice to LA maintained schools regarding the financial position in which many may now find themselves.

The Forum noted the report.

Future meetings have been arranged as follows:

20 October 2022

1 December 2022

12 January 2022

9 February 2022

15 June 2022

Meetings to start at 8.00 a.m. at CEME room 233

Members noted the dates of future meetings.

There were no other business.