To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr J Chapman, Mrs S Catlow -Hawkins, Mrs E Christopher and Mr J Godfrey.

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

Mr T Leach substituted for Mr J Chapman.

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 23 February 2010.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2010 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

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

The meeting agreed to include the Work Programme as an additional item no.14, Minute No.88 refers.

That Schools Forum to note the updated regulations and consider the recommendations for implementation.

The Head of Improvement presented a report informing the Forum on updated Regulations which reconstitutes Forum membership to include representatives from Academies and non-school members as appropriate. The Department of Children Schools and Families had also reviewed Budget Shares and Finance Regulations in order to support the developing learning routes for children and young people as identified in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. The amendments also enabled schools to pool resources with partner agencies and/or contribute to the work of the Children’s Trust Board as well as facilitating links between Schools Forum and the Children’s Trust with the expectation that the Trust consults with the Forum in agreeing the Children and Young Peoples Plan priorities.

RESOLVED:  That the Schools Forum

(a)         is reconstituted by 1 September 2010 to ensure that membership is fully compliant with the amended statutory regulations: The Schools Forum (England) Regulations 2010 No. 344 (appendix 1 to the report);

(b)         Notes the amended School Budget Shares Regulations 2010 No. 190 (appendix 2 to the report) and the funding opportunities identified within;

(c)         Notes the amended School Finance Regulations 2010 No. 210 (appendix 3 to the report) and the funding opportunities identified within; and

(d)         Notes the enhanced links and responsibilities associated with the Children’s Trust.

The Forum to amend its constitution to include a Members Code with regard to Declarations of Interest.

The Democratic Services Officer presented a report which proposed a Member Code within the Forum constitution with regard to declarations of interest. He emphasised that currently, members were referred to Herefordshire Council’s guidance on declarations of interests. However, Herefordshire Councillors and co-opted non elected members were bound by the Code but that Forum members were not bound by it.

RESOLVED:   That subject to the following amendments to Annex 2 attached to the report:

(a)               the replacement of the word ’the headteacher’ and ‘headteacher’s’ with the words ‘an employee’ and employee’s’ respectively in paragraph one;

(b)               the replacement of the words ‘a headteacher/governor’ be replaced with the words ‘for example employed’

the Schools Forum approves

(i)      the proposed amendment to the Schools Forum constitution as set    out in paragraph 5 of the report; and

(ii)               the requirement for members to complete a Notification of Interests form.

To update Schools Forum on forecast school balances for 2009/10.

The Head of Financial Services presented a report which updated Schools Forum on forecast school balances for 2009/10. Circulated at the meeting, a copy of which is attached to the Minutes, was a revised sheet of school balances at 2009/10 year end. She emphasised that in accordance with the year end figures, the deficit values for the schools shown in paragraph 6 of the report were revised as follows with the addition of one school:

Dilwyn   (P)              £495                                

Broadlands (P)         £66,027    

St Weonard’s (P)     £9,807      

Aylestone (S)           £139,862  

Brookfield (S)           £12,819

Weobly   (P)             £4,143       

       (P)   Primary School

       (S)  Secondary School  

The Head of Financial Services informed members that the format of the forecast figures would be on the basis of the School Finance Regulations 2010.

In response to an issue raised by a member, the Head of Financial Services informed the Forum that none of the schools would be having monies taken back in line with clawback. This was due to most schools transferring revenue into capital.

A member expressed the view that this could be an appropriate time for the Forum to re-affirm its commitment to a fairer distribution of money to schools in Herefordshire.

In answer to a question by the Chairman, the Head of Financial Services informed members that the deficits set out in paragraph 6 of the report were sanctioned by The Director of Children’s Services and the finance to support them. The Assistant Director of Improvement and Inclusion further informed members that the process followed was to discuss deficit recovery plans with schools and their Finance officer and these were then approved and signed off by the Director of Children’s Services. The money to support the deficits was taken from Dedicated Schools Grant and is planned over the lifetime of the agreed financial action plan.

RESOLVED:   That the Schools Forum notes

(a)                     the forecast school balances;

(b)          the aspirational commitment to provide fair and equitable funding for all schools and that the principle includes setting aside funding to fund consultant and headteacher time to carry out a full revue of the funding formula.

To approve the response to the Department for Children, Schools and Families consultation paper on the future distribution of school funding.

The Head of Financial Services presented a report on the response to the Department of Children Schools and Families (DCSF) consultation paper on the future distribution of school funding from 2011. Circulated at the meeting, a copy of which is attached to the Minutes, were officers draft answers to the consultation questions contained in the report for the forum to consider.

RESOLVED:   That the response document as circulated at the meeting with answers to the DCSF consultation paper on the future distribution of school funding be approved subject to the following additional points or answer changes being included:

Response to

  Question

1.        Add: Differentials between authorities require more examination.

2.                  Need to promote cluster working to ensure that local priorities are met. 

5.                  Add: To take into account local needs in Herefordshire.

9.        Add at the end of answer: With transparency and fairness.

        13.       Answer:  No, more work needed to carry this out.

14.               Add after the answer:  Subject to formula revision.

15.               Add:  Requires LA to revise formula.

The Head of Finance will collate the responses to the consultation

To inform the Schools Forum of the Extended Services funding allocations for 2010/11 and monitoring arrangements and to ask for endorsement of these.

The Head of Operational Development presented a report which informed the Schools Forum of the Extended Services funding allocations for 2010/11and monitoring arrangements and asked for the endorsement of these. She emphasised that it was proposed not to change the formula as agreed by the Forum in 2009/10 and money would be released termly to clusters instead of quarterly.

In response to a question, the Head of Operational Development informed members that officers had made the decision to hold an element of the disadvantage subsidy fund centrally for activities relating to Looked After Children because it was easier to administer. She emphasised that the subsidy was to be spent wholly on looked after children and could not be spent on staff or coaching as within the terms of the whole grant.

A member was of the view that schools would need to be informed that the subsidy money can be transferred to schools should there be a Looked After Child in need of such support. However, the view of Schools Forum was that the decision taken by the Enjoy and Achieve outcome group to fully delegate the fund into schools should be upheld.

A member expressed concern at the cost to schools to administer for Looked After Children.

The Chairman referred to the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) money referred to in paragraph 10 of the report and emphasised that this was not extended schools money and that the reference to the sum should be removed from the table. The Head of Operational Development advised that Extended Services would be informed that the DSG money was not part of the Extended Services funding allocation.

RESOLVED:   That the Schools Forum

(a)   Endorses the Extended Services funding allocation for 2010/11 subject to the DSG element being removed from the funding allocation, on the basis of proportional increases of the base amount per partnership, per school and per pupil;

(b)       Agree that the funding will be released upon agreement of a cluster delivery plan with progress targets on each of the performance measures on an annual basis with a termly monitoring update on a basis in line with Forum decision made in 2009/10; and

(c)        Endorses the Extended Services Disadvantage Subsidy Funding allocation as was recommended by enjoy and achieve outcome in full group which delegated full funding to schools.

To note and endorse recommendations for further work on Special Educational Needs Funding.

The Head of Additional Needs presented a report which requested the Schools Forum to endorse the recommendations for further work on Special Educational Needs funding. He emphasised the reasons, as set out in paragraph 2, for the recommendations. He drew attention to Appendix B of the report and which informed the Forum that Herefordshire Council delegated a greater proportion of the Individual Schools budget to the SEN budget than the average proportion in England.

The Assistant Director Improvement and Inclusion emphasised that this was a very complex issue and it was the intention to carry out a thorough review of Additional Needs across the County. This would then inform a range of funding options for the Forum to consider.

The Head of Additional Needs suggested that it would be useful for the Forum to have an input to the review through a smaller group. The Chairman suggested that the Primary and Secondary Heads Forums would be the appropriate consultative groups.

RESOLVED:   That Schools Forum

(a)           endorses further work to produce a range of options for the delegation of SEN funding to mainstream schools to replace or modify the existing model of delegation/banded funding;

(a)                     endorses further work to produce a range of options for the funding of the County’s maintained special schools;

(b)                     endorses further work to produce a range of options for the delegation of funding to allow schools to purchase learning and behaviour support services via a service level agreement;

(c)                     the Primary and Secondary Heads Forums be consulted with regard to (a), (b), and (c) above; and

(d)                     the review outcome in respect of (a), (b) and (c) above be completed and brought into effect  in April 2011.

To provide an update on the Trade Union facilities budget in terms of the mechanism to better control the trade union facilities budget. The report is provided for Schools Forum to note.

The Head of Improvement presented a report which provided an update on the Trade Union facilities budget in terms of the mechanism to better control that budget. He reminded members that the Forum had previously considered the budget at its meeting in February and the report before members was to draw attention to a more detailed report that would be brought to the Forum in July.

RESOLVED:   That the report be noted.

The Forum considered the Work Programme for 2010, a copy of which was circulated at the meeting and is attached to the Minutes.

RESOLVED:   That the following items be added to:

(a)                     July 2010 Work Programme

(i)                 Funding to provide equitable and fairer formula funding for all schools review.

(b)                     October 2010 Work Programme

(ii)        SEN/AEN Funding Review.