The Business Advisor (Schools) will present a follow up report, Document IG, which asks Forum Members to further consider the position of the funding of Schools and Early Years Block central and de-delegated items from the DSG in 2018/19, following the initial discussion in the meeting of 18 October 2017

Recommended –

Members are asked to note the information and to consider whether and further information is needed to enable final recommendations and decisions to be taken on 10 January 2018 on the funding of centrally managed and de-delegated Early Years, Schools and Central Schools Block items in 2018/19.

The Forum is asked for feedback specifically on Trade Union Facilities Time and the proposal for the de-delegation from the primary phase for behaviour support.

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

The Business Advisor (Schools) presented a report, Document IG, which asked Forum members to further consider the position of the funding of Schools and Early Years Block central and de-delegated items from the DSG in 2018/19, following the initial discussion in the meeting of 18 October 2017.

The Business Advisor took members through the full set of DSG funds listed in Appendix 1 of the report and asked members for a steer on the position of these funds for 2018/19. In particular he highlighted:

·         The expected continued growth in the cost of the maternity / paternity insurance scheme for the early years and primary phases. This cost, and the viability of this arrangement, must continue to be closely reviewed.

·         That the Forum is asked for a view specifically on an outline proposal to convert, at 1 September 2018, de-delegation from the primary phase for behaviour support to provide a safety net in the short term for the collection of top up funding for the primary behaviour centres.

·         That the Forum is asked to give a clear steer specifically on what the value of de-delegation for Trade Union Facilities Time should be so that the identified review can be taken forward.

Members asked the following questions and made the following comments:

·         The Representative of Teacher Trade Unions, having declared an interest, outlined for members the reduction in the cost of arrangements that has taken place so far (from £7.26 to £5.26 per pupil). He expressed a view that the cost will not be able to be significantly reduced further without a material impact on the volume of time available to schools. He stated that current spending is 0.08% of school budgets, which is within the Government’s previously quoted threshold. He also highlighted for members that the landscape of employee / employer relations is different in Bradford than elsewhere due to the larger number of separate employers of teachers in the District. He requested that the Forum further considers the consequences of a further reduction in spending on available capacity before making a final decision.

·         In response, Forum members agreed that a cost vs. benefit analysis should be considered. Members clarified that it is the value of spend, rather than the absolute cost, which was asked to be reviewed. An Academies Member also added that it would be helpful for the Authority to be involved in discussions between the unions and individual academy trusts. Another Academies Member, in the interests of balance, explained how their trust manages their own trade union facilities time arrangements through releasing their own employees.

·         The representative of the PRUs, responding to the request for a steer on primary phase de-delegation for behaviour support, expressed concern that a financial process for the collective purchasing of top up from the Schools Block is being offered to the primary phase but not to the secondary phase. The Business Advisor responded to explain the differences between the phases in this regard (the existence already of strong collaboration within the BACs) and that de-delegation is not an option for the secondary phase due to the majority of secondary phase provision now being delivered by academies. He stressed that the primary proposal is intended as a short term safety only whilst financial and collaborative models for this phase are developed and it is for the Forum to decide whether to adopt this.

·         A representative of primary maintained school headteachers stated that it will be helpful for the Forum to have data on the numbers of schools that currently access places in the primary behaviour centres so that some assessment can be made of who would be purchasing places in the future (and the fairness of a collective contribution as an alternative to a pay as you go model). It was stressed that there would still be a need for charging of academies as these are excluded from de-delegated contributions.

Resolved –

(1)  That a cost vs. benefit analysis for the DSG’s funded schools Trade Union Facilities Time be presented.

(2)  That further information is provided for the 10 January on the number of schools and academies that currently access places in the primary behaviour centres (to be incorporated into the SEND / SEMH presentation).

LEAD: Business Advisor (Schools)