Local democracy

Agenda

Venue: Council Chamber - City Hall, Bradford. View directions

Contact: Asad Shah - 01274 432280 

Note: The meeting of the Schools Forum of Wednesday 8 December 2021 was inquorate. As all business agenda items were planned to be presented for information only, without requiring decisions, Members that were present agreed for the meeting to go ahead as an informal meeting (briefing). The Forum’s discussion on the items discussed were recorded. As no decisions were taken, a decisions list from this meeting will not be published. 

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

The City Solicitorwill report the names of alternate Members who are attending the meeting in place of appointed Members.

 

 

2.

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.

 

 

3.

MINUTES OF 13 OCTOBER 2021 & MATTERS ARISING pdf icon PDF 145 KB

That the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 13 October 2021 be signed as a correct record.

 

 

Additional documents:

4.

MATTERS RAISED BY SCHOOLS

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

 

 

5.

STANDING ITEM - DSG SCHOOLS BLOCK GROWTH FUND ALLOCATIONS (a) pdf icon PDF 136 KB

As presented in Document NO, Forum Members are asked to agree newly proposed allocations, from the 2021/22 Schools Block Growth Fund, to maintained primary and secondary schools and to primary and secondary academies.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       The Schools Forum is asked to agree to allocate a total of £972,332 * from the Growth Fund in 2021/22 to maintained secondary schools and secondary academies, as set out in Document NO.

 

(2)       The Schools Forum is asked to agree to allocate a total of £118,914 from the Growth Fund in 20221/22 to maintained primary schools and primary academies, as set out in Document NO.

 

(3)       Members are asked to note that an indicative total sum of £1,069,621 * of surplus balance of Growth Fund is ring-fenced and is forecasted to be carried forward into 2022/23 within the Schools Block. The Schools Forum will be asked to consider the allocation and / or retention of this balance at the meeting on 12 January.

 

* Please note that 2 of the secondary-phase allocations are currently estimated (as indicated in the report), as the October Census numbers have not yet been released to the Authority by the ESFA. The updated spending reports to be presented to the Schools Forum on 12 January will confirm these allocations and the total Growth Fund spend and balance to be carried forward.

 

         (Jonty Holden – 01274 431927)

 

 

6.

EARLY YEARS BLOCK SETTLEMENT & EYSFF CONSULTATION 2022/23 (a) pdf icon PDF 107 KB

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document NP, which provides information on the Early Years Block settlement for 2022/23.

 

The report then asks the Schools Forum to consider the consultation document, which outlines the formula approach that the Authority proposes to use in the 2022/23 financial year (April 2022 to March 2023) to delegate Early Years Block funding to providers of the 2, 3 & 4-year-old entitlements. This is known as the Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF). The Authority has discussed these proposals with the Early Years Working Group.

 

Initial feedback received to the consultation will be presented to the Schools Forum on 12 January. However, we propose to extend the deadline for responses to 24 January 2022 to permit sufficient time for providers to consider our proposals. Forum Members therefore, are asked to note that our Early Years Block final decision making will need to adjust for this timescale. We anticipate presenting to the Forum on 12 January a planned Early Years Block budget for 2022/23, which will be based on assumptions and estimates that are made prior to the full conclusion of the consultation. A full summary of consultation feedback, and the Council’s final decisions, will be presented to the Schools Forum on 9 March.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       The Forum is asked for its initial feedback on the proposals for the Early Years Single Funding Formula for the 2022/23 financial year, as set out in Document NP.

 

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

 

         (Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

 

Additional documents:

7.

CONSULTATION OUTCOMES - SCHOOLS BLOCK FORMULA FUNDING 2022/23 (i) pdf icon PDF 98 KB

The Principal Finance Officer (Schools) will present a report, Document NQ, which asks Members to consider the feedback received to the consultation on our 2022/23 Schools Block formula funding arrangements and Schools Block centrally managed funds.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       The Forum is asked to consider the responses received to the consultation and whether any of the proposals on the 2022/23 primary and secondary mainstream funding formulae, or Schools Block centrally funds and criteria, should be changed in the light of these responses.

 

(2)       Members are asked to note that they will be asked to make final recommendations on the Schools Block formulae, and the criteria for the allocation of Schools Block central funds, on 12 January. As such, Members are asked to consider whether sufficient information has now been provided to enable these recommendations to be made.

           

(Jonty Holden – 01274 431927)

 

 

Additional documents:

8.

INDICATIVE BUDGETS 2022/23 PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES (i) pdf icon PDF 107 KB

The Principal Finance Officer (Schools) will present a report, Document NR, which provides Members with updated indicative modelling of mainstream Primary & Secondary formula funding delegated budget shares for 2022/23, now using the pupil numbers taken from the October 2021 Census. This modelling is tabled only for information at this stage, prior to asking Members to make final recommendations on 12 January.

           

Recommended –

 

(1)       The Forum is asked to note the Primary and Secondary modelling information. A further update will be provided on 12 January, when Forum Members will be asked to make final recommendations on the values of funding allocated via each formula factor.

 

(2)       Members are asked to consider whether sufficient information has been provided to enable final recommendations to be taken on 12 January on the matters presented in this report.

 

(Jonty Holden – 01274 431927)

 

 

Additional documents:

9.

CONSULTATION OUTCOMES - HIGH NEEDS BLOCK FORMULA FUNDING 2022/23 (i) pdf icon PDF 107 KB

The Principal Finance Officer (Schools) will present a report, Document NS, which asks Forum Members to consider the feedback received to the consultation on the 2022/23 High Needs Funding Model.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       The Forum is asked to consider the responses received to the consultation and whether any of the proposals on the 2022/23 high needs funding formulae, should be changed in the light of these responses.

 

(2)       Members are asked to note that they will be asked to make final recommendations on High Needs Block formula funding on 12 January. As such, Members are asked to consider whether sufficient information has now been provided to enable these recommendations to be made.

 

(Dawn Haigh – 01274 433775)

 

 

10.

2022/23 DSG UPDATE (i) pdf icon PDF 133 KB

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document NU, which provides a summary-level indicative forecast of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) income / expenditure position for the 2022/23 financial year.

 

Recommended –

 

Members are asked to consider the information presented in the report, for reference, in advance of the 12 January meeting.

 

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

 

Additional documents:

11.

2021/22 DSG SPENDING AND CARRY FORWARD BALANCES FORECAST (i) pdf icon PDF 167 KB

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document NV, which updates Members on the forecasted spending positions of each of the DSG Blocks against the 2021/22 planned budget. This document gives Members a view of the estimated values of balances to be carried forward into 2022/23 and a view of the uses of these balances.

           

Recommended –

 

Members are asked to consider whether sufficient information has been provided to enable final recommendations to be made at the meeting on 12 January on the allocation and / or retention of estimated DSG balances.

 

         (Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

 

Additional documents:

12.

ANNUAL SEND PLACES SUFFICIENCY STATEMENT (i) pdf icon PDF 86 KB

The Strategic Manager, Intelligence and Sufficiency will present a report, Document NW, which is the annual statement to the Schools Forum on the sufficiency of specialist places for SEND.

 

This statement is presented as per the schedule of high needs information, which was agreed with the Schools Forum on 14 October 2020. It is presented in advance on an update of the fuller DSG Management Plan, which will be presented on 12 January.

           

Recommended –

 

Members are asked to consider and to note the information presented in the report, in advance of the 12 January meeting.

 

(Emma Hamer – 01274 439535)

 

 

Additional documents:

13.

CENTRAL SCHOOLS SERVICES, EARLY YEARS & SCHOOLS BLOCK FUNDS (i) pdf icon PDF 113 KB

The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document NX, which asks Forum Members to further consider the Authority’s proposals for retention of Schools, Central Schools Services and Early Years Block central and de-delegated items in the 2022/23 financial year, following the initial discussion had in the last Forum meeting and in advance of the 12 January.

 

In addition to the continuation of existing funds, this report asks the Schools Forum to consider additional budget, funded from Central Schools Service Block and from the Early Years Block headroom, to be allocated in support of service pressures, as set out in the report.

 

Also, in addition to the continuation of existing de-delegated funds, this report presents new information on the DfE’s intended action (a consultation was published on 29 October and closed on 26 November), to reduce, by 50% in 2022/23, and then cease at April 2023 the School Improvement Monitoring and Brokering Grant (SIMB) that is currently received by the Authority in support of maintained schools. Within the consultation, the DfE has put forward the view that local authorities should use de-delegation from maintained schools to replace the SIMB monies that are being reduced in 2022/23 and then removed from April 2023. This will represent a new de-delegated item from April 2022, which the Authority now must ask the Schools Forum to consider as part of the 2022/23 DSG budget setting round.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       Members are asked to note the information provided in the report.

 

(2)       Members are asked to consider whether any further information is needed to enable final recommendations and decisions to be taken / made on 12 January on the funding of centrally managed and de-delegated Early Years, Schools and Central Schools Services Block items in 2022/23.

 

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

 

Additional documents:

14.

SCHOOLS FORUM STANDING ITEMS (i)

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

·         Schools Forum membership

·         Update from the High Needs Block Steering Group

·         Update from the Schools Financial Performance Group (SFPG)

·         Update on School / Academy Budgets

·         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

 

The Forum is asked to note the information provided.

 

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

 

 

15.

AOB / FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

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

 

 

16.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Please see the published schedule of meetings – the next Forum meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 12 January.

 

A provisional meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 19 January (if this is needed to complete 2022/23 DSG recommendations).

 

 

(a) Denotes an item for action (including where a formal view or recommendation is required).

 

(i)  Denotes an item for information.

 

Signposting of High Needs Information

 

As per the schedule presented on 14 October 2020, “Forum members are expected to access ‘outside of the Forum meetings’ wider SEND information that is presented to other groups and that is already published, including information presented to the SEND Partnership. The Authority will signpost this information (webpage links) for Forum members at the bottom of agendas.”

 

·         SEND Partnership Board (minutes of meetings):

https://localoffer.bradford.gov.uk/coproduction--feedback/send-strategic-partnership-board-