The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document GV, which asks Members to consider the outcomes of the consultation on the 2017/18 Early Years Single Funding Formula.

Recommended –

(1)       The Forum is asked to consider the outcomes of the consultation and to make final recommendations on the structure of the Early Years Single Funding Formula for the 2017/18 financial year.

(2)       Members are asked to note, at this stage, the Early Years Working Group’s recommendation for the use of £500,000 of off monies in support of the protection of the 3 and 4 year old base settings rates in 2017/18. The Schools Forum will be asked to make a final recommendation on this on 11 January.

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document GV, which asked Members to consider the outcomes of the consultation on the 2017/18 Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF). Members deferred a decision on the structure of the EYSFF to 11 January. As such, this item was treated as ‘for information’.

The Business Advisor highlighted the following:

·         As set out in the DSG document for the previous item, it is proposed to establish the principle of ring-fencing of the Early Years Block for 2017/18 and for the future.

·         There is nothing in the responses to our consultation (that the Forum approved at the last meeting) that suggests our proposals regarding structure of the EYSFF for 2017/18 are not supported and should not be implemented. We proposed a lot of continuity on current arrangements. The Authority asks then that the Forum recommends the structure of the EYSFF as set out in the consultation document is implemented for 2017/18.

·         The main concern expressed in responses to our consultation is the significant reduction in rates of funding for the 3 and 4 year old entitlement as a result of the Government’s Early Years Funding Reform and the impact that this will have on the quality of provision.

·         The Government announced the final details of its national formula on 1 December. Our 2017/18 proposals are compliant with what is required from April 2017. We do need to develop further our existing approach to SEN Inclusion funding and we propose to re-convene the EYWG in the new year to do this. Our next steps around structural reform will be working towards a consultation on amended formula arrangements in Bradford for 2018/19, incorporating a universal base rate, as we set out in our consultation document.

·         The DfE has confirmed:

o   Our net loss of funding is as set out in the original consultation document. This is unchanged. Our 2 year old rate of funding will increase to £5.20 but we will lose £3m in 3 and 4 year old funding over the next 2 years.

o   The restriction on supplements to 10% does come in at 1 April 2017. The calculation of this is tighter than estimated, which means that we cannot spend as much at 10% on deprivation as we anticipated. This factor in particular affects the funding of nursery classes. The transfer of budget from deprivation to base rate does however protect the funding of PVI sector.

o   The Maintained Nursery School Supplement is confirmed and is extended for at least another year (until April 2020) with further consultation to take place. We are expected to fund nursery schools as currently. However, our value of Supplement funding will be set on our actual current spend so we will not have a balance to allocate (the £275k we set out in the report will not exist).

o   A new Disability Access Fund will be established, estimated to be worth £160,000 in Bradford in 2017/18.

o   A requirement for local authorities to operate SEN Inclusion funds. We have in place already an SEN Inclusion Fund, but we do need to do some work to develop this

·         As a result of the confirmation of the tightening of the 10% restriction, we suggest amending the proposal around the use of the £500,000 one off, so that this is allocated in the 2018/19 not the 2017/18 financial year.

The Member representing maintained nursery schools expressed her concern about the potential loss of the Nursery School Supplement and that it is important that the Forum considers carefully how one off monies can be used to support the sustainability of the early years sector.

Forum Members did not have any further comments and did not asked any further questions.

Resolved –

No resolution was passed on this item. Final recommendations on the structure of the Early Years Single Funding Formula for 2017/18 are deferred to the 11 January 2017.