The Chairman informed those members of the Forum who were present that the meeting was inquorate.  She proposed that they should discuss the report of the Budget Working Group and express a view to assist the Schools Finance Manager in drafting the budget consultation paper over the summer for publication in early September. 

Those members of the Forum who were not present would be invited to indicate their support for the proposed approach to the 2015/16 budget, or to suggest alternative options if they were not content.

All other business on the agenda could be considered at the Forum’s next meeting.

Members of the Forum present agreed with this approach.

Apologies were received Mr P Barns, Mrs L Brazewell, Mr P Burbidge, Mr J Chapman, Mr G House, Ms A Jackson, Mrs R Lloyd, Mrs J Rees, Mrs L Townsend and Mrs C Woods.

None.

None

To consider the report of the Budget Working Group (BWG) on the following matters: Whitecross Private Finance Initiative, National Funding Formula proposals for 2015/16 and high needs tariff funding. Forum will be updated verbally on any changes resulting from the BWG on 7^th July.

Consideration was given to the report of the Budget Working Group (BWG) on the following matters: Whitecross Private Finance Initiative, National Funding Formula proposals for 2015/16 and high needs tariff funding.

A supplementary report, prepared following the BWG’s meeting on 7 July reporting on the further consideration given by the BWG to the National Funding Formula proposals for 2015/16 an High Needs Tariffs, had been circulated to the Forum.

The Schools Finance Manager presented the report.  He highlighted the following principles underpinning the proposals for consultation on the 2015/16 schools budgets:

·         Increasing all per pupil funding values by 2.9% to reflect the additional £2.6m allocated to Herefordshire by the DfE for 2015/16.

·         Continuing the current budget strategy designed to move the primary to secondary funding ratio to 1:1.23 over five years.  This would entail a reduction of £6,000 per school  in the primary lump sum and a corresponding increase in sparsity funding for qualifying schools.  The secondary lump sum per school would increase by £13,750.

·         Increasing funding for English as an Additional Language (EAL funding) from £104k in 2014/15 to £160k.

·         Transferring some funding from deprivation (ever-6 Free School Meals) to low prior attainment to start a process of funding low prior attainment more in line with national standards.   It was proposed to include a range of options in the consultation paper.  These would be different for primary and secondary schools.

He also drew attention to the consultation meetings for schools on the 2015/16 funding formula, as set out in the report.

He then highlighted the following principal elements of the proposals for high needs tariff top-up funding which it was proposed to implement with effect from September 2014.  He reported that the proposals had the support of the Headteachers of Special Schools:

·         A reduction in the original tariff values by 5% in order to ensure that the expenditure going forward was consistent with existing budgets. 

·         Minimum Funding Guarantee protection to both Brookfield and Westfield schools on a fixed basis and to be met by capping the gains of the other two special schools in accordance with the principles applied to the mainstream national school funding formula.

He commented that the funding of the Pupil Referral Unit would be subject to a separate review to bring it in line with the new tariffs.  It was proposed that the same tariff rates would also be adopted pro-rata in early years settings.

He also noted that it was proposed that that the Dedicated Schools Grant underspend for 2013/14 of £554k, virtually all of which had resulted within the High Needs Block, should be retained to support that Block.

Those Members of the Forum who were present supported the proposals as consolidated within the supplementary report as follows:

1.         That the following approach be applied in the drafting the schools budget consultation paper over the summer:

(a)          Funding Model C, the continuation of the current approved budget strategy, with an increase in funding for English as an Additional Language provision (Model D),  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.