Apologies were received from Mr P Burbidge, Mrs J Cecil, Mr J Chapman, Mr K Crawford and Mrs A Jackson.

The Chairman welcomed Mrs S Catlow-Hawkins to the meeting as the new 14-19 Partnership representative in place of Mr I Peake.

Ms E Stackhouse substituted for Mrs J Cecil.

Mr S Robertson and Mrs S Woodrow declared interests in relation to agenda item 5: Dedicated Schools Grant Underspend 2011/12 as members of staff at Aylestone Business and Excellence College.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March, 2013.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2013 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To recommend to the Cabinet Member (Education & Infrastructure) an appropriate level of funding for retention in the provision for potential school deficits arising from sponsored academy conversions.

(Mr S Robertson and Mrs S Woodrow declared interests and did not vote.)

The Forum was asked to consider recommending to the Cabinet Member (Education & Infrastructure) an appropriate level of funding for retention in the provision for potential school deficits arising from sponsored academy conversions.

The Forum had agreed in January 2013 that a provision of £900k be allocated from the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) underspend 2011/12 for potential sponsored academies deficits – to be released only with agreement of Schools Forum in future if deficits crystallised, and subject to a further report being made to the Forum on 3 May 2013 in the expectation that further information would then be available from the Department for Education (DfE).

The Chairman informed the Forum that it was intended to propose that the recommended option in the report should be amended to provide that the retention of a provision to match the deficit at Aylestone Business and Excellence College (Aylestone) should be subject to further review in October 2013.

The Senior Finance Manager (SFM) then presented the report setting out the options identified for treating the £900k provision.  These ranged from the retention of the whole £900k, the most risk averse option, to distribution of the whole amount to schools and early years providers.  The financial benefit to schools under each option was detailed in the report.  The SFM emphasised that the Council considered the risk involved in the distribution of the whole provision to be unacceptable.

The SFM drew attention to the statement in the report that there were no known Department for Education (DfE) plans for either Aylestone or Broadlands Primary School to become a sponsored academy.  If, however, the GCSE results at Aylestone were below the floor target this year then the DFE might well review the School’s status and begin discussions about a sponsored academy conversion.  This had prompted the proposal that the Forum further review the retention of a provision to meet the deficit at Aylestone in October 2013.

In discussion the following principal points were made:

·         It was emphasised that the discussion was about the principle of making a provision for potential school deficits arising from sponsored academy conversions. 

It was observed that there would be increasing potential for further directed conversions to academies as the floor target for exam results was raised.  It was proposed that the Budget Working Group should therefore be asked to consider the implications of future forced conversions to academies and possible approaches.

·         It was recognised that the Forum was, in effect, being required to make a risk assessment.  The Headteacher of Aylestone was invited to comment and outlined the background to the current position.  She explained that there had not been any contact with the DfE about the possibility of conversion to a sponsored academy for some months and the school itself had no plans to follow that route.  However, as the report noted there was a risk.

  It was questioned whether the DfE would in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122.

To review the membership of the Schools Forum and the Budget Working Group.

The Forum reviewed the membership of the Schools Forum and the Budget Working Group.

The report noted that, consistent with Department for Education guidance, the Forum had agreed to keep its membership under annual review to provide flexibility to ensure that broad proportionality of primary schools, secondary schools and academies was maintained.  The current composition was not strictly proportionate but it was suggested that the Forum had the discretion to continue with its current membership if the relevant appointing groups were content.

No change to the membership of the Budget Working Group needed to be considered.

RESOLVED:

That      (a)                 subject to the agreement of Herefordshire Association of Secondary Head Teachers and the Herefordshire Association of Governors the current membership of the Forum continues; and

(b)          it be noted that no amendment to the membership of the Budget Working Group is required.

The following meeting dates have been scheduled:

Friday 12 July 2013 9.30 am

Friday 18 October 2013 9.30 am

Friday 29 November 2013 9.30 am

Friday 24 January 2014 9.30 am

Friday 28 February 2.00 pm 

Monday 17 March 2014 9.30 am

Friday 16 May 2014 9.30 am

Noted.