Local democracy

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - City Hall, Bradford. View directions

Contact: Asad Shah - 01274 432280 

Items
No. Item

51.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

The City Solicitor will report apologies and the names of alternate Members who are attending the meeting in place of appointed Members.

Minutes:

A declaration was received from the Chair for agenda item 12 “High Needs Block – Funding Additional SEND Provision”, (minute 188). During the course of the meeting, Ian Morrell also made a declaration for this item.

 

ACTION:       City Solicitor

 

52.

DISCLOSURES OF INTEREST

To receive disclosures of interests from Members on matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

 

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it only becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

Minutes:

A declaration was received from the Chair for agenda item 12 “High Needs Block – Funding Additional SEND Provision”, (minute 188). During the course of the meeting, Ian Morrell also made a declaration for this item.

 

ACTION:       City Solicitor

 

53.

MINUTES OF 20 JULY 2016 AND MATTERS ARISING pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Recommended –

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2016 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Business Advisor (Schools) reported on progress made on “Action” items as follows:

 

  • Social Impact Bond – the application has been submitted and is progressing.

 

  • £1.2m DSG unallocated sum – this had been referred to the Early Years Working Group (EYWG). Members will see from agenda item 11 that the EYWG has met. A final recommendation has not yet been made by this Group on this matter.

 

  • National Funding Formula Consultation – an email was sent out to Members on 25 July following the Secretary of State’s announcement earlier that week. A formal update on this announcement is presented in agenda item 10. No further announcements on the Schools or High Needs Blocks have been made. Proposals for Early Years funding reform have been announced and these are to be considered in agenda item 11.

 

  • Academies Panel and referral of the letter from the Chair of Governors at Oastler School – an email was sent on 9 September asking for representatives from Forum Members to sit on this panel. Responses have been received from 4 volunteers (Chris Quinn, Brent Fitzpatrick, Nicky Kilvington and Ian Morrell). Oastler School has been contacted to establish a date for a panel meeting, which is expected to take place before the October Schools Forum meeting. The Chair added that he has written to the headteacher of Oastler School regarding the coverage of this item by the Telegraph and Argus following the July meeting.

 

  • Update on Academy conversions and free schools – there have been 5 conversions of maintained schools to academy status since the last Forum meeting, all on 1 September (3 secondary and 2 primary schools).It is not expected that any of these schools will hold deficit budgets. The Authority still expects a substantial number of conversions to take place before the end of this financial year. The DfE announced its newest wave of free schools at the end of last week. 3 free school projects have been approved for Bradford; 2 post 16 mainstream provisions (16-19) and 1 new secondary mainstream provision. The Chair added that a workshop has been arranged with the DfE on 22 September on free school provision for high needs and invited all interested in learning more about the development of free schools for high needs provision to attend this.

 

  • Post 16 Strategic review – Members have received in their packs a copy of the post 16 provision review document, to ensure that all Members are aware especially of the ‘road map’ to improvement.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)       That progress made on “Matters Arising” be noted.

 

(2)       That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2016 be signed as a correct record.

 

ACTION:       City Solicitor

 

54.

MATTERS RAISED BY SCHOOLS

Members will be asked to consider any issues raised by schools.

Minutes:

A Member stated that he is aware that a number of schools have received invoices from the Authority for unbilled payroll costs. He asked that information be provided to the Schools Forum on this matter.

 

No resolution was passed on this item (please see resolution 13).

 

55.

STANDING ITEM - DSG GROWTH FUND ALLOCATIONS

There are no new allocations for consideration at this meeting. The Forum is asked to consider, under agenda item 12, matters relating to the allocation of growth funding in the secondary sector.

 

(Sarah North – 01274 434173)

Minutes:

The Business Advisor (Schools) reported that there are no new allocations for consideration at this meeting but that the Forum is asked to consider, under agenda item 12, matters relating to the allocation of growth funding in the secondary sector.

 

No resolution was passed on this item.

56.

STANDING ITEM - BRADFORD EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT COMMISSIONING BOARD

As this is the first Schools Forum meeting of the new academic year, there is nothing further to report.

 

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

Minutes:

The Business Advisor (Schools) reported that the BEICB has not met since the last update provided to the Schools Forum at the July meeting.

 

No resolution was passed on this item (please see AOB).

 

57.

SCHOOLS FORUM MEMBERS - ELECTION OF A CHAIR

Members will be asked to approve the proposed approach to the election of the Chair of the Schools Forum for the  2016/17 academic year.

 

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

Minutes:

The Business Advisor (Schools) asked Members to approve the proposed approach (by email) for the election of Chair of the Schools Forum for 2016/17. A Member asked whether the current Chair was willing to stand for re-election. The Chair confirmed that he was.

 

Resolved –

 

That the established approach be followed for the collection of nominations and the election of the Chair of the Schools Forum for 2016/17.

 

Action:           Business Advisor (Schools)

 

58.

SCHOOLS FORUM ADMINISTRATION 2016/17 ACADEMIC YEAR pdf icon PDF 22 KB

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document GF, which asks Members to review the Forum’s administrative and membership arrangements for 2016/17.

 

Recommended –

 

That the Schools Forum is asked to review the Forum’s Conduct of Meetings and Procedural Matters document, to note the re-calculation of membership according to pupil numbers, and to agree the proposal interim arrangements for the 2016/17 financial year.

 

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document GF, which asked Members to review the Forum’s administrative and membership arrangements for the academic year 2016/17. He explained the basis and purpose of the proposed interim solution, which would be in place for September 2016 to April 2017; to secure effective Schools Forum membership over the critical DSG allocation period whilst also seeking to ensure that membership remains proportionate to the number of maintained schools and academies in the District. He explained that the Schools Forum Regulations were not establish to cope with the volume and speed of transition of maintained schools to academies that is expected in Bradford over the coming months.

 

Schools Forum Members were supportive of this proposal and did not ask any additional questions on this matter.

 

 (1)      The Forum’s Conduct of Meetings & Procedural Matters document be agreed.

 

(2)       The interim Schools Forum membership arrangements for the period September 2016 to the end of March 2017, as set out in Document GF, also be agreed.

 

Action:           Business Advisor (Schools)

 

59.

EARLY PROJECTION OF THE 2017/18 POSITION AND COST PRESSURES pdf icon PDF 30 KB

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document GG, which provides an early indicative view of the 2017/18 Dedicated Schools Grant position and identifies the cost pressures, which the Forum will have to consider in making final recommendations in January 2017.

           

Recommended –

 

The Schools Forum is asked to consider and to note the  overview provided.

 

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document GG, which provides an early indicative view of the 2017/18 Dedicated Schools Grant position and which also identifies the cost pressures, which the Forum will have to consider in making final recommendations in January 2017.

 

The Chair introduce this item by explaining that this is the starting point for the Forum’s consideration of the key matters that will pervade its meetings over the coming months. The flow of agenda items is as follows:

·        An overview of DSG indicative position for 2017/18 (Document GG item 9).

·        Update on announcements made over the summer on the National Funding Formula for the Schools and High Needs Blocks (Document GH item 10).

·        Presentation on the DfE’s consultation on Early Years National Funding Formula (Document GI item 11).

 

By this point Forum Members will have an awareness of the scale of the funding challenge we face in 2017/18 and beyond, summarised as:

·        Pressure in High Needs and needing to significantly increase the quantity of provision without sufficient additional funding from DfE in the short term (in 2017/18) and then without any certainty at this point about the longer term funding position (whether the National Funding Formula will give us sufficient funding to expand and sustain our quantity of provision).

·        The likely need to take a substantial contribution from the Primary & Secondary formula in 2017/18 to meet High Needs Block pressures. The impact that this may have on delegated budgets and pressures felt by schools and academies.

·        Schools Block National Funding Formula probably will be in place at April 2018 but there is still a great deal of uncertainty. The ring-fencing restriction relating to the Schools Block will likely come in at April 2018, with an overall formula result that is probably not good for Bradford. This is suggested by the theme of the Early Years National Funding Formula proposals (an inadequate weighting towards deprivation).

·        Reduction in Early Years funding, with very significant potential financial implications for Nursery Schools, at the same time as seeking to continue to raise quality and to deliver the Government’s extended 30 hours entitlement.

 

The Business Advisor (Schools) confirmed that the critical action points for the Forum at this meeting are:

·        Agreeing areas of consensus for our response to the DfE’s consultation on Early Years Funding reform, which must be submitted tomorrow (Document GI Appendix 1).

·        Agreeing the funding of the 1st tranche of 120 additional SEND places, from January 2017 (Document GJ item 12).

·        Agreeing to the publication of our consultation on Bradford’s 2017/18 primary & secondary school funding formulae and Schools Block centrally managed funds criteria (Document GK item 13).

 

In responding to the Business Advisor (Schools) presentation of the Document GG Appendix 1, Forum Members asked the following questions and made the following comments:

  • That the DfE’s proposals for the reform of Early Years funding, which includes a reduction of £3m in the funding available for the delivery of the 3 and 4 year old free entitlement and the introduction  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

60.

NATIONAL FUNDING FORMULA SCHOOLS AND HIGH NEEDS BLOCKS pdf icon PDF 27 KB

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document GH, which provides an overview of the latest information from Government, on the introduction of a National Funding Formula for the Schools and High Needs Blocks, in announcements made since the Forum meeting in July.

 

Recommended –

 

The Schools Forum is asked to consider and to note the overview provided.

 

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

Minutes:

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document GH, which provided an overview of the latest information from Government, on the introduction of a National Funding Formula for the Schools and High Needs Blocks, in announcements made since the Forum meeting in July.

 

The Business Advisor (Schools) explained that, due to the delay in the publication of the 2nd stage of consultation by the DfE, there is still significant uncertainty about the timing and implications of a National Funding Formula. It is hoped that announcements will be made in time for the October meeting. He stated that, because of this uncertainty, and because we can only assume that the ring-fencing of the Schools Block restriction will come into place at April 2018 (thus preventing from this point further contributions to the High Needs Block), there is a line of inquiry on whether we should seek to take the maximum contribution we can from the Schools Block in 2017/18 in order to maximise resources for High Needs provisions, as this may be our final opportunity to do so. This was a line of discussion in the Formula Funding Working Group meeting. It was explained that the most that the Schools Block could contribute would be to the point that all primary and secondary schools are funded at their level protected by the DfE’s Minimum Funding Guarantee, which is a reduction of 1.5% per pupil. This would go beyond the simple 1.5% reduction in all pupil-led factors, which is shown in the consultation document. The Business Advisor (Schools) explained that the Forum was not being asked yet to make a decision on this, but that this would need to be further discussed.

 

The Business Advisor (Schools) explained, following the DfE’s current proposals, that 2 out of the 3 DSG Blocks (the Early Years and the High Needs Blocks) would remain locally managed under National Funding Formula arrangements. He also reminded Members that we have previously speculated that the primary and secondary ‘hard’ National Funding Formula will not favour Bradford, because we speculate that the weighting given to additional educational needs / deprivation may reduce in favour of increasing the basic amount of funding for all authorities. He stated that the proposals for the Early Years Block, which appear to give an inadequate weighting to deprivation, are suggestive that this may be the case. 

 

The Chair clarified for Members that what is shown in the consultation document (Document GK) was not the worst case scenario for primary and secondary schools and academies in 2017/18. Referring back to the earlier discussion on the DfE’s proposals for Early Years Funding reform, and the potential significant financial implication for the District’s Nursery Schools, he stated that Bradford has a larger number of Nursery Schools than the average of other authorities, with 70% of authorities having fewer than 7 and 30% not having any. The Chair also stated that the need for the Schools Block to contribute to the High Needs Block is not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

61.

REPORT ON EARLY YEARS BLOCK FUNDING MATTERS AND DFE CONSULTATION pdf icon PDF 34 KB

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document GI, which provides an update on Early Years DSG funding matters, including the DfE’s consultation on the proposals for a National Funding Formula. The report asks for the Forum’s view about areas of consensus that should be included in the Authority’s response to this consultation. Feedback from the Early Years Working Group (which met on 19 September) will be presented verbally to the meeting. This report is presented in advance of asking the Forum to agree its consultation on Bradford’s Early Years Single Funding Formula for the 2017/18 financial year, which it is anticipated will be presented to the 19 October meeting.

                                        

Recommended –

 

The Schools Forum is asked to consider and to note the matters raised in the report and also to recommend areas of consensus that should be included in the Authority’s response to the DfE’s consultation.

 

         (Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document GI, which provided an update on Early Years DSG funding matters, including the DfE’s consultation on the proposals for a National Funding Formula. The report asked for the Forum’s view about areas of consensus that should be included in the Authority’s response. It was explained that this report was presented in advance of asking the Forum to agree its consultation on Bradford’s Early Years Single Funding Formula for the 2017/18 financial year, which it is anticipated would be presented to the 19 October meeting.

 

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented the key elements of our assessment of the impact of the DfE’s proposals on the level of DSG funding into the Bradford District and on individual types of providers. Many of these had already been presented within earlier agenda items. He emphasised that the proposed reduction in Bradford’s Early Years Block rate of funding for the 3 and 4 year old free entitlement, £3m in total, will begin from April 2017 and be largely completed at April 2018 i.e. the impact of this reduction will be felt sooner rather than later. Our rate of DSG funding for the 3 and 4 year old offer will drop from £5.08 per hour to £4.57. In estimated terms, this will mean that the average delegated setting base rate of funding for providers would reduce from £4.41 now to £4.11 at April 2019. This reduction takes place alongside an additional reduction in the value of funding for deprivation and the assumed cessation of additional funding to support the additional cost structure of Nursery Schools. The combined result of the DfE’s proposed reform will be the flattening of the distribution of Early Years DSG funding, nationally between authority areas and locally between different types of providers and between providers delivering the free entitlements to children from deprived and less deprived backgrounds.

 

The Business Advisor (Schools) explained that it was currently unclear whether some of the DfE’s proposals for formula change are to be implemented from April 2017 or by April 2019. However, he emphasised that rates of funding for providers will decrease at April 2017. The Early Years Working Group is meeting again to consider proposals for Bradford’s Early Years Single Funding Formula for the 2017/18 financial year and to make a recommendation on the £1.2m one off monies. One of the key considerations for the EYWG will be our timetable for implementing change in Bradford in response to the DfE’s reforms.

 

In summarising the Authority’s proposed response to the DfE’s consultation (shown in Appendix 1), the Business Advisor (Schools) explained that the EYWG has recommended that a clearer statement be added about the impact that funding reduction will have on our ability to sustain the improvements that have been made in the quality of early years provision and workforce.

 

Members agreed that they are satisfied with the proposed response. A Member asked for the composition of the EYWG and this was provided. Another Member stated that,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

62.

HIGH NEEDS BLOCK - FUNDING ADDITIONAL SEND PROVISION pdf icon PDF 22 KB

Using the reports presented under agenda items 9, 10 and 11, as well as the additional Document GJ, the Business Advisor (Schools) will explain the planned creation of additional SEND places (an additional 120 places in each of the next 3 academic years), how these are to be funded from the High Needs Block and the wider implications on the DSG. It is understood that the Schools Forum will wish to fully consider all implications of what has been presented and will make final recommendations on the allocation of the 2017/18 DSG in January 2017. The Schools Forum is asked to give its outline agreement now however, for the first set of 120 places to be funded from the High Needs Block, to enable these places to be established for January 2017.

 

Recommended –

 

The Schools Forum is asked for its outline agreement for the first tranche of additional SEND places to be funded from the High Needs Block, from January 2017 and on an on-going basis.

 

         (Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

Minutes:

Referring to the reports presented under agenda items 9, 10 and 11, as well as the additional Document GJ, the Business Advisor (Schools) explained the planned creation of additional SEND places (an additional 120 places in each of the next 3 academic years), how these were to be funded from the High Needs Block and the wider implications on the DSG.

 

He explained that it is understood that the Schools Forum will wish to fully consider all implications of what has been presented and would wish to make final recommendations on the allocation of the 2017/18 DSG in the round in January 2017. Members are asked to give their outline agreement now however, for the first set of 120 places to be funded from the High Needs Block, to enable these places to be established for January 2017, at an estimated cost of £0.63m for the period January to March 2017 and then £2.52m for a full year (using an estimated cost of £21,000 per place). He explained that these places would be established in interim satellite provisions managed by special schools.

 

The Strategic Manager, SEND and Behaviour, emphasised the very pressing need to establish the 1st tranche of 120 places. She also made reference to work taking place to deliver efficiencies within the High Needs Block, which would support the identification of more resource to fund an increased quantity of places.  The Chair welcomed this reference to value for money and the work that has been done to enable this firm intention to establish additional places to be presented to the meeting today. The Chair also stated that it was important that we do not lose sight of the need for places in both SEND and behaviour provisions and that the work that is taking place around SEND also be completed for behaviour. The Deputy Director, Education, Employment and Skills, stated that it is expected that review work on behaviour will move quickly.

 

The Vice Chair suggested that it would be helpful if the Forum knew a bit more about the plans for the establishment of the 120 places. The Strategic Manager explained that much of this was still under negotiation, but that 5 different settings have been identified. Diligent work has been carried out by the Authority to ensure that these places will be established in the correct locations and under secure satellite management arrangements. She added that there has been no shortage of willingness from special schools to co-operate and participate in this work. The Deputy Director added that the schools have been fantastic over this issue.

 

In the discussion that followed Members asked the following questions and made the following comments:

  • Information was presented to the recent DAP meeting stating that the number of referrals for EHCPs had increased in the District by 97% over the last 2 years.
  • How will the 120 places be filled; where will the pupils come from; are these currently in mainstream settings? The Chair responded to say that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

63.

CONSULTATION ON THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL FORMULAE 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 41 KB

The Principal Finance Officer (schools) will present a report, Document GK, which asks the Forum to consider the consultation document, which outlines the proposals for the formulae to be used to calculate budgets for Primary and Secondary schools (and academies) for the 2017/18 financial year and the criteria that will form the basis of the allocation of additional funding to schools (and academies where appropriate) from DSG centrally managed funds. If agreed, the responses from the consultation will be presented for consideration to the 19 October meeting.

 

Recommended –

 

The Schools Forum is asked to agree that the consultation (Document GK Appendix 1) is published.

 

(Sarah North – 01274 434173)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Principal Finance Officer (schools) presented a report, Document GK, which asked the Forum to consider the consultation document, which outlines the proposals for the formulae to be used to calculate budgets for Primary and Secondary schools (and academies) for the 2017/18 financial year and the criteria that will form the basis of the allocation of additional funding to schools (and academies where appropriate) from DSG centrally managed funds.

 

The Principal Finance Officer summarised the proposals included in the document Appendix 1, stressing that no structural changes to the primary and secondary formula are proposed other than the changes in data use required by the DfE. She explained the amendment to the IDACI bands and that the weighting within the secondary low attainment factor would be adjusted by the DfE in the dataset we will receive in December.

 

The Principal Finance Officer stressed that a key purpose of the consultation document, and the modelling attached with this, is to give schools and academies early warning of a reduction in formula funding in 2017/18 that is likely to come from the Forum’s discussions on how to meet the growth in High Needs Block cost. She stated that these key messages had been presented to primary business managers last week and will be presented to secondary business managers.

 

The Principal Finance Office also drew Member’s attention to the proposal for the clarification of the criteria to be used to calculate and allocate in year growth funding to secondary schools and academies, as growth in this sector is not quite as straightforward as has been in the phase.

 

In the discussion that followed Members asked the following questions and made the following comments:

  • Is the 1.5% shown in the document a reduction on some or all formula factors? It was clarified that this was a reduction only in the pupil-led factors. It was agreed that this will be stated more explicitly in the consultation document.
  • Is the assumption, with the cost assessment built into the proposed criteria, that growth funding will not usually be allocated to the secondary phase? The Principal Finance Officer clarified that this won’t be the assumption. We would actually assume that growth funding would be allocated, but we feel that it is reasonable, given that how a secondary school can adjust to handle changes in pupil numbers is more complicated than in a primary school, that an assessment is carried out to ensure than an additional allocation from the DSG represents value for money.
  • Will secondary growth funding be limited to growth in year 7, not for growth in other year groups during the year? It was confirmed that growth funding would only be applied for year 7 growth within the normal admissions round, where this growth comes from the request by the Local Authority for the school to increase its PAN to meet basic need sufficiency. It would not fund pupils admitted on appeal.
  • What will the cost assessment look like within the secondary growth fund  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

64.

WORK PROGRAMME AND SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS 2016/17 ACADEMIC YEAR pdf icon PDF 15 KB

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document GL, which outlines the School Forum’s 2016/17 Academic Year work programme.

 

Recommended –

 

The Forum is asked to note the proposed programme and to consider whether any additional items should be added at this stage.

 

         (Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

Minutes:

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document GL, which outlined the School Forum’s 2016/17 Academic Year work programme.

 

Resolved – 

 

That the work programme be noted.

 

Action:           Business Advisor (Schools)

 

65.

SCHOOLS FORUM STANDING ITEMS

Updates on the following Forum standing items will be provided verbally where these have not been covered within other agenda items:

 

·        Update on Single Status

·        Update from the Schools Financial Performance Group (SFPG)

·        Update from the Early Years Working Group (EYWG)

·        Update from the Formula Funding Working Group (FFWG)

·        Update on Primary School Places

·        Update on Academies & Free Schools

 

Recommended –

 

The Forum is asked to note the information provided.

 

         (Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

66.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS (AOB) / FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Members will be asked for any additional items of business, for consideration at a future meeting.

 

Minutes:

Resolved –

 

That information be provided to the Schools Forum on the charging of payroll costs in response to the matter raised by a Forum Member at the start of the meeting.

 

67.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Please see the published schedule of meetings – the next Forum meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 19 October 2016.

 

 

(a) Denotes an item for action

(i)  Denotes an item for information

 

Minutes:

The next meeting of the Schools Forum is Wednesday 19 October 2016.