Apologies were received from Mr J Docherty, Ms T Kneale, Mrs C Lawson, Mr I Peake, Mrs J Rees, and Mrs D Strutt.

L Cochrane substituted for Mrs J Rees.

Mr R Leece and Mr C Lewandowski declared an interest in agenda item 8 – Report of the Budget Working Group – recommendation m – retention of funding centrally for trade union facilities time.

To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED;  That Mrs D Strutt be elected Chairman of the Forum for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED:  That Mrs D Strutt be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

To elect a Vice-Chairamn for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED:  That Mr N Griffiths be elected Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED:  That Mr N Griffiths be elected Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

(Mr N Griffiths, Vice Chairman in the Chair)

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 6 July 2012.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 July 2012 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To inform the Forum of changes to the Forum’s Constitution required by Regulations and guidance from the Department for Education.

The report was noted.

The Forum was informed of changes to the Forum’s Constitution required by Regulations and guidance from the Department of Education.

The report was noted.

To consider a report from the Budget Working Group (BWG) on the following issue: National Schools Funding Formula.

RESOLVED: That

(a)        the proposals for the local application of the National Schools Funding Formula as set out at Appendix 1 to the report be approved for recommendation to the Cabinet Member – Education and Infrastructure as follows:

a)    Basic entitlement - that the basic per pupil entitlement for primary pupils should be set at £2,756 for each pupil (but subject to a £3 per pupil reduction if (h) below is approved);

b)    Basic entitlement - that the basic per pupil entitlement for secondary pupils should be split between KS3 and KS4 to represent the higher costs at KS4. Funding rates would be £3,605 for KS3 pupils and £4,543 for KS4 pupils;

c)    Deprivation - that the deprivation indicator should be an allocation of £2,848 for every pupil on the “Ever-6” Free Schools Meals;

d)    Looked after children - there should be an additional allocation of £900 for each looked after pupil in 2013/14 in order to match the pupil premium;

e)    Prior Attainment - there should be a basic entitlement of £228 for each primary pupil with less than 78 points EYFP and £355 for each secondary pupil not achieving level 4 or above in both  maths and English at Key Stage 2 for 2013/14 only, and given potential DfE changes subject to review thereafter;

f)     English as an Additional Language - there should be an allocation of £405 for each pupil in the first year only with English as an Additional Language in order to match funding allocated in 2012/13

g)    Lump Sum - there should be a lump sum allocation for all schools of £105,000 to fairly represent school fixed costs

h)    Pupil mobility - there should be a budget in the High Needs Block of £62,800 to support inclusion of hard to place pupils to be funded by a standard deduction of £3 per pupil from all schools with the impact to be reviewed after one year;

i)     Split site costs - there should be no split site allocation in line with the current local school funding formula;

j)     Business rates - that, as determined by the DfE, the existing method that business rates are allocated at actual cost should be continued;

k)    PFI contracts - that as determined by the DfE, the existing allocation of £190,000 to Whitecross to meet PFI contractual commitments and to be indexed annually in future as per RPI should be continued;

l)     Notional SEN - the Notional SEN budget should be consistent with previous Herefordshire practice and based on 6% of the per-pupil funding + 6% of the lump sum + 40% of deprivation funding (Ever-6 Free School Meals) + 100% of prior attainment (as a proxy measure for SEN);

m)  De-delegation- retention of funding centrally for trade union facilities time and free school meals assessment be supported;

n)    De-delegation - the retention of funding centrally for Ethnic minority support be supported;

o)    Special school funding - As an interim measure in 2013/14, the funding of special schools  ...  view the full decision text for item 96.

The Forum considered a report from the Budget Working Group on the National Schools Funding Formula.

Mr Griffiths presented the report. He noted that there were very few areas where the responses received on the consultation document on the National Schools Funding Formula suggested any disagreement.

He also drew attention to the BWG’s concern about the apparent lack of engagement with the consultation process either through attendance at the consultation events or through submission of responses.

He highlighted the proposed scheme to protect schools from the full effects of the significant changes to the funding of special educational needs.

In discussion the following principal points were made:

·         Concern was expressed about funding in relation to prior attainment (question 4 in the consultation paper) because of the absence of early years baseline data for 2013/14.

·         The Senior Finance Manager commented that the Authority was complying with the Department for Education’s requirements.  If the Forum had concerns these could be submitted to the Department.  However, it was recognised that the DfE might change its approach and the recommendation proposed that the matter be reviewed in setting the 2014/15 budgets.

·         The division of opinion between secondary schools in relation to splitting the basic per pupil entitlement for secondary schools between KS3 and KS4 was noted.  It was suggested that this could be reviewed in the light of the approach taken by other authorities.

The Forum then discussed and voted in turn on each of the Budget Working Group’s recommendations set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

RESOLVED: That

(a)        the proposals for the local application of the National Schools Funding Formula as set out at Appendix 1 to the report be approved for recommendation to the Cabinet Member – Education and Infrastructure as follows:

a)    Basic entitlement - that the basic per pupil entitlement for primary pupils should be set at £2,756 for each pupil (but subject to a £3 per pupil reduction to reflect resolution (h) below);

b)    Basic entitlement - that the basic per pupil entitlement for secondary pupils should be split between KS3 and KS4 to represent the higher costs at KS4. Funding rates would be £3,605 for KS3 pupils and £4,543 for KS4 pupils;

c)    Deprivation - that the deprivation indicator should be an allocation of £2,848 for every pupil on the “Ever-6” Free Schools Meals;

d)    Looked after children - there should be an additional allocation of £900 for each looked after pupil in 2013/14 in order to match the pupil premium;

e)    Prior Attainment - there should be a basic entitlement of £228 for each primary pupil with less than 78 points EYFP and £355 for each secondary pupil not achieving level 4 or above in both  maths and English at Key Stage 2 for 2013/14 only, and given potential DfE changes subject to review thereafter;

f)     English as an Additional Language - there should be an allocation of £405 for each pupil in the first year only with English as an Additional Language in order  ...  view the full minutes text for item 96.

To review the composition of the Budget Working Group.

RESOLVED: That

a)           the Budget Working Group continue to operate on the basis previously agreed by the Forum as set out at paragraph 5 of the report, with small schools and special schools to be represented and with consideration also given to governor involvement;

b)          there should be a minimum of one maintained school representative from the secondary sector and one academy representative from the primary school sector;

c)           the factors set out at paragraph 10 of the report are taken into consideration in making appointments to the Budget Working Group;

d)          that in future membership of the Budget Working Group be reviewed in parallel with membership of the Schools Forum;

e)           the chairmanship of the Budget Working Group be considered at the Forum’s next meeting once nominations have been received;

f)            the current membership of the BWG continues in place until 31 December 2012; and

g)          representative bodies be invited to submit nominations to serve on the Budget Working Group on the basis that the Group  will consist of 14 Members with the 11 places available to primary schools, secondary schools and academies, (taking account of the 2 early years places and 1 specialist schools place) to be allocated on a broadly proportionate basis based on pupil numbers in each category.

The Forum considered the composition of the Budget Working Group.

The Democratic Services Officer presented the report.  A chart was circulated showing how the membership of the Budget Working Group would look if the Group were to be constituted broadly proportionately.  It was proposed that nominations to serve on the Group should be sought from representative bodies on that basis.

RESOLVED: That

a)           the Budget Working Group continue to operate on the basis previously agreed by the Forum as set out at paragraph 5 of the report, with small schools and special schools to be represented and with consideration also given to governor involvement;

b)          there should be a minimum of one maintained school representative from the secondary sector and one academy representative from the primary school sector;

c)           the factors set out at paragraph 10 of the report are taken into consideration in making appointments to the Budget Working Group;

d)          that in future membership of the Budget Working Group be reviewed in parallel with membership of the Schools Forum;

e)           the chairmanship of the Budget Working Group be considered at the Forum’s next meeting once nominations have been received;

f)            the current membership of the BWG continues in place until 31 December 2012; and

g)                representative bodies be invited to submit nominations to serve on the Budget Working Group on the basis that the Group  will consist of 14 Members with the 11 places available to primary schools, secondary schools and academies, (taking account of the 2 early years places and 1 specialist schools place) to be allocated on a broadly proportionate basis based on pupil numbers in each category.

To consider the Forum’s work programme.

Items scheduled for meeting on 7 December  2012

·         Report of Budget Working Group (DSG underspend)

·         Membership of Budget Working Group

·         Final School Budgets for Submission to the Education Funding Agency

o   Schools Funding Block

o   High Needs Block

o   Early Years Block

·         School Funding 13/14 – Draft Budgets

·         Capital Investment 2012/13 Update

·         Workplan 2012/13

·         Dates of Meetings

The Forum noted the work programme.

The Vice-Chairman reminded Members that if there were any issues that they wished the Forum to consider they should notify the Chairman and Vice-Chairman who would then discuss their possible addition to the work programme.

To note that future meetings of the Forum have been scheduled for 9.30am at Brockington, 35 Hafod Road, Hereford on the following dates:

7 December 2012

25 January 2013

28 February 2013

12 March 2013 (provisional).

7 December 2012 9.30 am

25 January 2013 9.30 am

28 February 2013 9.30 am

(Provisional) 12 March 2013 9.30 am

The Forum noted the dates of future meetings.