Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2018 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

a) To agree the minutes of 11 July 2018 as a correct record.

b) The Business Adviser (Schools) reported on progress made on “Action” items:

·         Item 317 page 99 BSF / PFI: The Authority has contacted affected schools and academies and there is a confidential item presented to this meeting.

·         Item 319 page 100 Under-subscription and place-planning: A report is presented to this meeting.

·         Item 320 page 101 SEND & SEMH Reviews: An update, together with the draft SEND strategy is presented to this meeting. The Local Authority has written to Lord Agnew regarding capital funding for SEND places expansion. A letter from the Schools Forum will be drafted and it is planned for this to incorporate the DfE’s initial response to the Authority’s letter.

·         Item 321 page 101 Schools Forum Membership: The Business Advisor (Schools) confirmed that Dianne Richardson has been nominated as Chair of the Schools Forum for 2018-19 and Ian Morrel has been nominated as Vice Chair. Dianne and Ian were the only nominations for their respective roles.  The Business Advisor also confirmed that the DfE’s announcements over summer regarding National Funding Formula (NFF) do not alter the Forum’s composition or role for 2019/20. The DfE has published this week an update of its Schools Forum good practice guidance, which has been quickly reviewed but will be considered in more detail.

·         Item 323 page 103 NFF and DSG: Updates on both NFF and DSG are presented to this meeting. The 3 FFWG meetings are still scheduled and Forum Members are encouraged to book on one of these.

·         Item 324 page 103 Scheme / CSOs Revision Consultation: The consultation document was published and the response period has been extended as requested to 12 October. A reminder was placed on Bradford Schools Online at the beginning of term. The outcomes of the consultation will be presented to the Schools Forum on 17 October.

Other Matters Arising

·         DSG Brought Forward Balance final confirmation 2017/18: The Business Advisor (Schools) presented the single page document included within the agenda reports pack, which confirms for Members the final DSG brought forward balance from the 2017/18 financial year. This is £11.363m, which is 2% of the overall DSG. The only difference from the figures presented now from those presented to the Forum in May is the brought forward balance in the Early Years Block, which has been updated for the DfE’s final allocation confirmed in July. The report separates the £11.363m into blocks and the Business Advisor reminded Members of the extent to which these balances are already mostly committed:

o   In the Schools Block: in particular to de-delegated fund balances, the financial support model for Beckfoot Upper Heaton and for growth fund and deficit budget provisions.

o   In the High Needs Block: to support transition and managing growing financial pressure.

o   In the Early Years Block: to enable us to hold base rate funding within the EYSFF for 3&4 year olds at a level higher than the DfE’s EYB funding would otherwise permit.

·         Teacher’s Pay Award and Pay Grant: The Business Advisor (Schools) reported there was an announcement at the end of last week regarding confirmation of the September 2018 pay award for teachers, as well as further details of the DfE’s additional Teacher’s Pay Grant, which will be allocated to schools and academies via formula towards the end of this term. The Pay Grant is being calculated on nationally set values per pupil multiplied by pupil numbers. It is intended to meet the costs of the pay award above a 1% increase that schools are expected to have budgeted for.

Member asked some questions, including whether the Grant would cover on-costs and whether this will remain in place after 2019/20. The Business Advisor stated that the national rates are calculated on the total national pay bill, which will include on-costs, but that the status of the Grant after 2019/20 has not been announced. There are a number of quite crucial school funding matters that it appears will not now be decided until the autumn 2019 Spending Review.

The Member representing the Teacher Trades Unions asked for confirmation that the implementation of the pay award by the Local Authority will not be delayed. The Business Advisor said that he will feed this back to Corporate HR.

·         Employer’s Contribution to Teacher Pensions: The Business Advisor (Schools) reminded Members that an expected increase in 2019/20 in the employer’s contribution to teacher pensions has been considered by the Forum in previous reports. Further information has now begun to be released. Although we do not yet have a basis on which to confirm details, these announcements suggest that the employer’s contribution rate will increase in 2019/20 but that additional funding will be provided by the DfE to offset unexpected costs. What this is, how it will work and whether it will continue after 2019/20, are not yet clear.

The Member representing the Teacher Trades Unions reported that a colleague on the TPS Board has indicated a possible 3% increase and that the understanding is that the Treasury has committed to meet the full cost of increase. It was agreed that this is a matter that the Schools Forum would like to receive regular updates on.

·         School Resources Planning Documents and Tools: The Business Advisor (Schools) reported, for Members’ awareness, that the DfE towards the end of summer published quite a bit of new / updated guidance and tools for schools and academies to use to guide their budget and resources management. These include details of new national procurement deals as well as an updated arithmetic scorecard and a new assessment tool and data dashboard. All these are signposted by us on BSO. Members are encouraged, in their discussions with colleagues, to spread awareness of these tools and guidance.

Resolved –

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

(2)       That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2018 be signed as a correct record.

ACTION:       City Solicitor

                        Business Adviser (Schools)