To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs E Christopher and Mrs R Lloyd.

To receive any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Forum.

There were no named substitutes.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

There were no declarations of interest..

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2009 (to follow).

The Forum was informed that Mrs S Catlow-Hawkins and Mr P Box should be added to those present at the meeting.

A Member referred to Minute No. 24 regarding the constitution and was of the view that the Forum did not decide to increase the small school representation pupil number and did not agree to one Headteacher representing two schools.

The Chairman informed the Forum that an item would be added to the agenda for the next Forum meeting to reconsider the issues regarding the small school pupil number and to one Headteacher representing two schools.

RESOLVED:   That

(i)                 subject to the addition of Mr P Box and Mrs S Catlow-Hawkins to those present at the meeting, the Minutes of the meeting held on the 29 September 2009 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman; and

(ii)               an item be included on the agenda of the next Forum meeting to consider amendments to the constitution relating to the small school representation number from 60 to 65 pupils and to the representation of two schools by one Headteacher.

To consider any issues raised as either a late item or any other business.

There were no late items or any other business.

To consider the Herefordshire Schools Task Group Interim report which is currently out for consultation.

The Chairman has invited Lynn Wright, Independent Consultant, who was present at the Schools Forum meeting on 7 July 2009 to support any debate regarding the financial implications of:

(a)          The status quo.

(b)          Any possible models for the future provision of Herefordshire schools.

The purpose of the meeting will be to agree a response to the consultation to be submitted by the Chair on behalf of the Forum

The Director of Children’s Services presented the Herefordshire Schools Task Group Interim Report on the way forward for the planning of Herefordshire provision of Schools. She reminded the Forum that the Schools Task Group was established following agreement of Cabinet Members, Headteachers and Chairs of Governors. The Task group comprising School Headteachers, Governor representatives, local officers with an independent Chair had produced the consultation document. She referred to discussions at the last Forum meeting regarding the effect on schools finance that the reduced Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) settlement would have and that after discussion with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Forum it was decided that the Forum should consider the consultation document. The views of the Forum would then be fed beck to the Task Group.

The Director introduced Lyn Wright, Independent Consultant, who had presented a finance report to the July Forum meeting and had been invited to the meeting to discuss with Members the implications of falling school rolls and the consequential reduction in schools funding.

The Consultant circulated the following documents to Members at the meeting and are attached to these Minutes:

(i)                  Herefordshire School Funding – Appendix 1

(ii)                Annual Decrease in Pupil Numbers Illustrating the Cumulative Effect - Appendix 2

(iii)               Pupil Numbers in Primary and Secondary Schools - Appendix 3

(iv)              Primary Schools Falling Numbers on Rolls - Appendix 4

(v)                Analysis of School Budget Per Pupil - Appendix 5

(vi)              Example of the Merging of Schools - Appendix 6

The Consultant referred to paragraph 1 of Appendix 1 regarding the DSG which was the main source of income to the schools budget which could be used for no other purpose. She drew Members attention to paragraph 3 which set out the decreasing pupil numbers over the last three years and the reduction in DSG funding over those years as a consequence. In referring to Appendix 2, Annual Decrease in Pupil Numbers Illustrating the Cumulative Effect, she highlighted the actual decreasing pupil numbers from 2006/07 to 2008/09 together with the projected reduction numbers from 2009/10 to 2010/2011 and the corresponding reduction in DSG.

The Forum noted that the figure set out in the penultimate line of Appendix 3 should read 1911.

The Consultant informed Members that Appendix 3 set out the primary and secondary reduction in pupil numbers at their peak to the current point in time amounting to 2,675 in total. Both peaks were underlined in Appendix 3. It was, in percentage terms, a reduction of 12 percent. She also informed the Forum that three small schools had closed during that period. She informed Members that as at January 2009, there was a surplus of 17.6 per cent primary school capacity with secondary school capacity being at 9.5 per cent. The increase in surplus primary school capacity was slowing down but the increase in surplus secondary capacity was still on the rise which emphasised that the current issues and difficulties with schools funding will continue.

In answer to a Member’s question, the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.