Agenda and minutes

Maria Artingstoll

To note the appointment of Sheena Wheatley as Trade Unions representative on the Schools Forum

The Chair of the Forum welcomed Sheena Wheatley as a new member of the Schools’ Forum, following her nomination and appointment.

RESOLVED to note the appointment of Sheena Wheatley, NUT, as Trade Unions representative.

None.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2016

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 3 November 2016 were confirmed by the Forum as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The work programme was noted

Report of the Directors of Education and the Corporate Director for Children and Adults

Jonny Kirk, Access to Learning Manager, introduced the report which outlines the proposed requirements of the pupil growth contingency for 2017/18. The funding will be used to fund pupil growth in both maintained schools and academies. Jonny highlighted the following:

(a)  As part of the budget setting process for 2017/18, the School Funding team must inform the Education Funding Agency (EFA) by mid-January on the level of funding allocated for pupil growth for academies for the period April 2017 to August 2017, from the pupil growth contingency fund;

(b)  For 2017/18, the level of  funding for pupil growth requested is less than last year at £1.052m;

(c)  The current pupil growth criteria is relevant to primary provision  but a review is required to see whether it needs adapting for secondary provision in future. This is currently being explored.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the allocation of £1.052m to support pupil growth in 2017/18;

(2)  note:

a.  the requirement to allocate funding to academies for the period from April 2017 to August 2017 as guided by the EFA;

b.  the amount to be allocated is £0.181m;

c.  the funding will be included on the submission of the 2017/18 Authority Pro-forma tool sent in to the EFA which includes all school budget shares for 2017/18 and the amounts to be given out to academies for pupil growth from April to August 2017;

d.  the total amount of academies individual school budget shares will be netted off against the pupil growth given out for this period and the Authority’s Dedicated Schools Grant for 2017/18 will be adjusted accordingly;

(3)  agree the members of a sub group, to review the pupil growth contingency fund criteria for secondary schools as James Strawbridge, Janet Molyneux and Sian Hampton;

(4)  note that the sub group has no decision making powers and will make recommendations which Schools Forum will have to formally approve at a future meeting.

Report of the Directors of Education

Mick Evans, Pupil and School Services Manager, introduced the report detailing changes to the way gym equipment in maintained schools will be dealt with going forward.

Maintained mainstream Schools will now have an annual appraisal of gym equipment, then schools themselves will need to organise any required repairs identified, using one of the approved suppliers.

RESOLVED

(1)  for maintained mainstream primary schools to approve the de-delegation of funding for an annual survey of school gym equipment at a rate of £120 per school. The total estimated funding to be de-delegated for maintained mainstream primary schools in £0.005m;

(2)  for the maintained mainstream secondary school to approve the de-delegation of funding for an annual survey of school gym equipment at a rate of £120 per school. The total estimated funding to be de-delegated for the maintained mainstream secondary school in £120;

(3)  that Pupil and School Services write to Headteachers and Governing bodies of the maintained schools informing them of the annual survey and the links to recommended suppliers;

(4)  thatHeadteachers and Governors take necessary steps to carry out school gym maintenance works for all equipment in their schools using one of the approved suppliers from the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO).

Report of the Directors of Education and the Corporate Director for Children and Adults

Jane Daffe, Senior Achievement Consultant, Vulnerable Groups, introduced the report giving an overview of the Year 11 New Arrivals provision which is designed to meet the needs of newly arrived asylum seeker, refugee, Roma, EU migrants and other young people in Year 11 who are new to English and unable to access the mainstream curriculum. Jane highlighted the following:

(a)  a permanent base for the Year 11 provision has now been established at Ellis Guilford School for a maximum of 30 pupils;

(b)  the number of new arrivals to Nottingham with little or no English is set to increase further and so this provision will be needed for the foreseeable future;

(c)  referral to this full-time provision is free to all City schools and academies unless the pupil is on their roll prior to the October census;

(d)  there is a proposed charge for Out of City pupils at £11,000 for a full annual place. However, demand from city pupils is currently high and fills the majority of places.

RESOLVED for Schools Forum note the recommended approach to funding this provision from April 2017:

a)  A total of £0.214m annual funding which equates to 30 pupils at £7,144 (made up of KS4 AWPU + EAL formula rates);

b)  Where the pupils are on roll at a city school by the October census, the school will cover the annual £7,144 per pupil cost with the high needs budget providing the balance of funding.

Report of the Directors of Education and the Corporate Director for Children and Adults

Kathryn Stevenson, Senior Commercial Business Partner, Children and Adults, introduced the report briefing Schools Forum on the proposed changes to Early Years funding arrangements which are being implemented from April 2017 including a new national formula for allocating the Early Years block to local authorities and new regulations around the distribution of funding to providers. Kathryn highlighted the following:

(a)  since the report was published, the government has issued a response to the consultation so the final version of the formula is now known. It is relatively unchanged so is good for Nottingham as it has a good deprivation supplement;

(b)  removal of the Quality Supplement should benefit the majority of Early Years settings, as funding should reach more of them and therefore more children;

(c)  around 18 & of pupils in the city qualify for the supplement. This will be distributed to benefit across all city schools and PVI providers. Wide consultation has been completed to ensure a robust distribution.

RESOLVED to

(1)  note the draft Early Years formula for funding providers for the early education entitlement for 3 & 4 year olds from April 2017;

(2)  approve Early Years Central Expenditure of £1.195m for 2017/18, subject to this complying with the final regulations.

Report of the Corporate Director for Children and Adults and the Chief Finance Officer

Ceri Walters, Head of Commercial Finance, introduced the report outlining the latest guidance set out by the Education Funding Agency (EFA) in the ‘Schools Revenue and Funding 2017-2018 Operational Guide’ on the funding changes that will come into effect from the financial year 2017/18. Ceri highlighted the following:

(a)  implementation of the proposed National Funding Formula has been delayed until the financial year 2018/19. However the DfE have outlined in the ‘Schools Revenue and Funding 2017/18-Operational Guide’ that the funding arrangements for 2017/18 will remain broadly similar to last year;

(b)  Nottingham City Council submitted its Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Blocks baselines for 2017/18 by 12 April 2016 and has received no response from the DfE so it is likely these have been accepted;

(c)  the Education Services Grant (ESG), which is currently given to the Council, will be included in the Schools Block allocation of DSG from 1 September 2017. This funding is used to fund statutory duties carried out by the Council for all pupils and this will now require approval by Schools Forum;

(d)  some non-statutory services currently funded by the ESG may no longer be viable, depending on if they can be funded from other sources;

(e)  the Post 16 factor will be removed from the funding formula for the 2017/18 financial year.

RESOLVED to note the changes to the funding arrangements outlined in paragraphs 2.1 to 2.7 of the report, and the financial impact will be presented in January 2017.

Report of the Corporate Director for Children and Adults and the Chief Finance Officer

Ceri Walters, Head of Commercial Finance, introduced the report presenting the council’s proposed Central Expenditure budget for 2017/18 which is prepared in accordance with the financial regulations issued by the Department for Education (DfE) and forms part of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budget. Ceri highlighted the following:

(a)  High Needs funding does not require Schools Forum approval but it must be consulted;

(b)  the budget for School Admissions cannot exceed the value agreed in the previous funding period, so this service is not fully funded from the DSG;

(c)  the budget for Termination of Employment Costs is for historic retirement and pensions from prior to 2013. This budget cannot be increased so any additional costs will be offset against underspends elsewhere or taken from reserves at the end of the year;

(d)  Capital Expenditure has been reduced as it has had an underspend for the past 3 years. This is money used for maintenance of buildings and funding PFI initiatives;

(e)  the Combined Services all remain at the same cost except for Serving Vulnerable Groups which has reduced due to efficiencies in the service;

(f)  in the High Needs block, there is an increase in the cost of Fair Access and asylum seeker provision. The costs of Special Needs Transport are increasing but the amount that this is funded from the DSG cannot be increased.

The Forum found that they had insufficient information on some elements, particularly Combined Services, to approve spending on them. They requested further information on these services, including more information on how they benefit the children of Nottingham, and how they provide value for money.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the following elements of the Schools Block central expenditure for 2017/18, totalling £3.585m:

a.  School Admissions;

b.  Servicing of Schools Forums;

c.  Termination of Employment Costs;

d.  Capital Expenditure from Revenue Accounts;

e.  Prudential borrowing costs;

f.  Copyright licenses

(2)  note the High Needs Block central expenditure for 2017/18 totalling £5.322m as set out in Appendix A of the report;

(3)  note that the central expenditure has not breached in 2017/18;

(4)  note that the approvals gained from this report will be incorporated into the final budget report for 2017/18 to be presented to Schools Forum on 19 January 2017;

(5)  note that this report does not include any recommendations relating to Education Services Grant (ESG).

(6)  request further information on the following elements of the Schools Block central expenditure before giving final approval at Schools Forum on 19 January 2017;

a.  Combined Services – Family Support;

b.  Combined Services – Integrated Placements;

c.  Combined Services – Serving Vulnerable Groups – Looked After Children;

d.  Combined Services – Safeguarding Training.

Report of the Directors of Education and the Corporate Director for Children and Adults

Lynn Robinson, HR Business Partner, Children and Adults, introduced the report which outlines the proposed arrangements and future policy for circumstances when the costs of redundancy and the costs of annual pension in early retirement may/will be paid in full or part by the local authority for school based staff in maintained schools. Lynn highlighted the following:

(a)  costs incurred by the council for any premature retirement of staff from maintained schools will now be met from the school’s budget share rather than by the council;

(b)  historically these costs have been met by the council, but this practice has been reviewed in light of financial pressures;

(c)  this policy will be part of a new handbook for schools and communicated to all schools.

RESOLVED to

(1)  note the requirements of section 37 of the Education Act 2002, for costs incurred by local authorities in respect of any premature retirement and any dismissal for the purpose of securing resignation, of any member of staff of a maintained school;

(2)  note the review of policy and proposed future arrangements, outlined in the document ‘Financing of Costs of Redundancy for Maintained Schools’, which sets out the default position and parameters, for the individual responsibilities of the local authority and maintained schools for costs incurred for (i)dismissal by reason of redundancy and (ii) premature retirement;

(3)  note that it is proposed that the revised policy be implemented with effect from 1 January 2017, and that further policy work will be undertaken to consider the impact of pension costs and payments on budgets.

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item in accordance with section 104a(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that , having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item in accordance with Section 110A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

To confirm the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2016.

The exempt minutes of the previous meeting held on 3 November 2016 were confirmed by the Forum as a correct record and signed by the Chair.