The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a report, Document GX, which asks Forum Members to consider the outcomes of the consultation on the 2017/18 High Needs Funding Model and the planned number of high needs places to be commissioned by the Authority. Document GX also gives an update on the position of other strategic high needs funding matters. This update is provided in advance of asking Members to make final recommendations on 11 January 2017.

Recommended –

(1)       The Forum is asked to agree the structure of the High Needs Funding Model for the 2017/18 financial year.

(2)       Members are asked to consider whether sufficient information has been provided to enable final recommendations on the 2017/18 High Needs Block to be taken on 11 January 2017.

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document GX, which asked the Forum to consider the outcomes of the consultation on the 2017/18 High Needs Funding Model and gave the Forum sight of the planned number of high needs places to be commissioned by the Authority. Document GX also gave an update on the position of other strategic high needs funding matters. Members deferred a decision on the structure of the High Needs Block funding model to 11 January. As such, this item was treated as ‘for information’.

The Business Advisor explained that this was the final agenda item, presented to give Members sight of the issues related to the difficult decisions that will be required to be taken in allocating the 2017/18 DSG budget.

The report set out further information behind the High Needs Block allocation and cost pressures, including the allocated places within the planned model (Appendix 1). It provided sight of the impact of a 1.5% reduction in top up values (Appendix 2). It also provided information relating to ‘efficiency and value for money’, highlighting some key areas of watch, improvement and review, and information on the sector-led teaching services review, in response to the requests made by Members at the previous meeting.

In response to the report, Members focused on the information presented regarding the funding of unfilled places (4%). Members asked for a further more detailed breakdown of unfilled places to be presented on 11 January. It was  clarified that the cost estimates for the High Needs Block in 2017/18 presented to the meeting included the financing of the 1^st tranche of new places as well as 7/12ths of the 2^nd tranche and that the cost of additional places that were already filled are also included.

In pulling together the information presented to the meeting so far about the 2017/18 DSG, the Strategic Director, Children’s Services expressed his awareness of the complexity of the issues being raised. He advised that it will be helpful for an options impact analysis paper to be presented to the Forum at the next meeting. As it is highly likely that the DSG budget position will be need to be resolved by combining actions, savings and contributions, across the DSG, it will be helpful for the Forum to have full, clear sight of all of these, and the impact of these and how impact could be mitigated, in one report.

The Chair asked Members whether they had any comments at this stage on the option for the sizeable contribution from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block in 2017/18. Members stated generally that they needed further time to consider this and to talk with colleagues, but made the following comments and asked the following questions:

• There is support amongst colleagues for the creation of high needs places. However, there is considerable concern about the implications on schools budgets of a sizeable formula funding reduction in 2017/18.
• The system for the assessment and placement of high needs children in Bradford is currently too slow. The speed of access to assessment services as well to centrally funded high needs support services needs to improve.
• How will high needs provision, responding to growth, be financial sustainable in the longer term if the High Needs Block is currently set to overspend so significantly. What is the Local Authority’s strategic plan? What will be the impact of National Funding Formula?
• How can we mitigate against the impact of a formula funding reduction in schools in 2017/18? What are the options for using DSG (and reserve) over more than one year to ‘delay’ or mitigate the impact of a formula funding contribution?
• How do the issues that Bradford is having to consider fit into the national picture?

Forum Members agreed that an options appraisal report be provided as well as further ‘case-study’ analysis for the 11 January meeting (actions recorded under minute 218).

Resolved –

(1)  Final recommendations on the structure of the High Needs Block funding model for 2017/18 are deferred to the 11 January 2017.

(2)  That further information is presented to the next meeting on unfilled places.