The Chairman welcomed Jane Harper, Deputy Head teacher Stratton Upper School, who was substituting for Rob Watson.

The Chairman also confirmed that Sarah Mortimer would be the new Post-16 Education Representative on the Forum.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting 14 October 2013 and to receive an update on any matters arising from these.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting of the Central Bedfordshire Schools Forum held on 14 October 2013 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to the correction of the spelling of Carol Leggett’s name with the removal of an additional ‘l’.

Clarification was sought for when the report on Rent would be brought to the Forum.  Officers confirmed a date would be set and it added to the work programme.

The Forum noted that there would now be a rolling work programme in place of the once a year Outline Forward Programme.

To note the update on the DSG and 2014/15 Funding Allocations, and approve the DSG Admissions allocation for 2014/15.

The Forum considered a report which provided an update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and 2014/15 Funding Allocations, and to approve the DSG Admissions allocation for 2014/15.  From 2013/14, the DSG would be split into three notional blocks: Early Years, High Needs and Schools. 

The School and Early Years Finance (England) Regulations defined the local authority education budgets for the 2013/14 financial year only.  The Regulations provided simplified local formulae, greater delegation to schools and new arrangements for funding pupils with high needs.

The Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) was set at negative 1.5% per pupil for 2013/14.

It was noted that the Chief Finance Officer (CFO), annually signed two statements: the Actual deployment (out-turn) and Budgeted Allocation of the DSG, which confirmed it had been fully deployed in support of the School’s Budget in accordance with the condition of the grant and the School Finance Regulations.

DSG Budget Allocation 2013/14

The final DSG for 2013/14 is £178.842m.  This is based on:

·           Schools Block: 34,747 (fte number of pupils October 2012) multiplied by £4,144.47 per pupil

·           Early Years Block: 2,241 (fte number of pupils January 2013) multiplied by £2,421 per pupil and will be updated again in April 2014 for 7/12ths of the January 2014 pupil numbers to cover the period September 2013 to March 2014.

·           High Needs Block: This is calculated in Pre 16 and Post 16 (ages 16 to 24).  The post 16 combines three previous budgets, SEN Block Grant, Specialist placements funding and the cost of high needs student in Further Education (FE) with effect from August 2013.

The Forum also noted that the floor protection for 3 year olds had been reduced by £48k from the 2012/13 funding and would be completely removed in 2014/15.

At the Schools Forum meeting held on 24 January 2013, the Forum noted that the Early Intervention Grant had been merged into the DSG, for the early education places for 2 year olds from lower income households. (minute no. CBSF/12/82 refers)

The breakdown of DSG as detailed in the table at paragraph 14 were as follows:

Schools: £144.062k

Early Years: £11,478k

High Needs: £23,302k

Direct payments to Academies included Early Years = £267k and High Needs = £2.967k.  As at 31 December 2013 there had been 47 Academy conversions.

Paragraph 15 of the report provided a breakdown of the £16.4m centrally retained DSG.

Growth Fund 2013/14

The Growth Fund is for significant pre 16 growth in schools.  Funds are available to both maintained schools and academies.  Where a school has elected to expand they are not eligible for the Growth Fund.

The amount for 2013/14 was set at £800k and has been overspent by £22.6k.  The Growth Fund Panel will be meeting on 21 January 2014 and a breakdown of the expenditure as at 31 December 2013 was detailed in paragraph 18.  The Forum approved an increase to the budget of £200k making the total Fund £1m for 2014/15.  

2014/15 Centrally Retained DSG Budget Allocations

The Forum noted that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

To consider the outline of how the centrally retained DSG has been used in 2013/14 and recommendations for the use of centrally retained High Needs Block for 2014/2015.

Prior to discussion three Forum members declared interests:

Richard Holland is the Chair of HAST

David Brandon Bravo is the CEO of HAST

Shirley Ann Crosbie is a member of the EYSS and has a granddaughter who uses the VI unit.

The Forum received and considered a report which outlined how the centrally retained DSG had been used in 2013/14 and recommended uses of the centrally retained High Needs Block for 2014/15.  The High Needs Block is not ring-fenced and can be moved within the three DSG blocks, with School Forum agreement.

The budget agreed for 2013/14 had been £12,332,619 as at April 2013.  Allowing for adjustments made through the year the budget was £12,770,463 as at December 2013.

Early Years Children with Disabilities retained panel and support function (£23,970)

The DSG funding for this had been commissioned through a contact to the Ivel Valley and The Chiltern Area.  The support provided to the children is coordinated through one individual and the salary element has been increased to £26,011 resulting in a small increase.  The budget will cover two people plus on costs. It was proposed that the budget be moved from the top up element of DSG as the core budget had supplemented the DSG for 2013/14.

Advisory Support Teachers retained within the Psychology and Advisory Support Team (£113,680)

There are two staff who meet the needs of children with SEN and Disabilities within the Early Years setting.  The Budget has been supplemented by core budget and therefore requires an increase of £7,531 to cover the actual costs in 2014/15.

Visual Impairment Service (£218,120)

The contract for the Visual Impairment Service has been awarded to HAST from January 2014 for £252,576 and will be included in the ‘’Commissioned Services’’ budget, paragraph 29 of the report.  Three months of the contract were paid from the 2013/14 budget and it is anticipated that the budget will underspend by £10k.

Due to an increase in the number of young children with severe visual impairments, HAST has reviewed the support requirements needed whilst the children are in the school system and have increased the staffing levels. 

Other functions supported by the High Needs Block

Support for high needs children in Early Years:

The children with high needs, who do not yet have a statement, requiring additional support receive support paid for from this budget.  Due to the number of children requiring this service, the spend to date has been the following:

Base budget £169,800 (including in year increase of £19,800)

The current commitment will total £174,676 resulting in an overspend of £4,876.  The anticipated overspend for the 2013/14 year is £10k should the anticipated requests be approved at Panel.  It has been requested that the budget be increased to £190,000 for 2014/15.

Therapies:

The service is commissioned on an individual child basis and it is anticipated that the £70k budget will be spend by the end of the financial year.  The spend to date had been £48,936.

Statements:

Statements are a needs led  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

To receive an update on the use of the School Forum Budget for 2013/14 and propose the level of the 2014/15 budget.

The Forum received and considered a report which provided an update on the Schools Forum Budget for 2013/14.

The Senior Finance Officer confirmed that at the date of the meeting the remaining balance for the year was £1,544.  It was noted that any unspent budget would be carried forward to the next year.  It was proposed that the budget for 2014/15 would be £3,000, with the continued membership of F40.

Members of the Forum were reminded that they could submit travel claims for attending the Forum meetings.

RESOLVED

1.     That the Schools Forum Budget position statement as at 31 December 2013, be noted.

2.     That the 2014/15 budget for servicing the School Forum be set at 2013/14 level of £3,000, with the continued membership of F40.

To receive an update on the use of the School Contingency Budgets for 2013/14.

The Forum received a report which provided an update on the use of the Schools Contingency Budgets for 2013/14.  It was noted that the Dedicated Schools Grant had been split into three notional blocks: Schools, High Needs and Early Years for 2013/14.  Each block would hold its own contingency budget.

Schools Contingency

At the Schools Forum meeting held on 22 October 2012 (minute no. CBSF/12/62 refers) it was agreed that £100k would be de-delegated back to the Local Authority for the purpose of School Contingencies for 2013/14.

The Schools Contingency budget at 31 December 2013 had a surplus of £635,347.  It was noted that the £100k for de-delegation had to be removed from the budget before any reallocation of surplus could be considered.  The DfE had confirmed that the de-delegated funding was ringfenced. 

It was noted that of the £635,347, £100k would be ringfenced for de-delegation, and approximately £500k would be available for redistribution to all maintained schools.

High Needs Contingency

At the Schools Forum meeting held on 21 January 2013 (minute no. CBSF/12/81 refers) had agreed that the SEN Contingency would continue to fund the extended role of a school such as commissioned work for Outreach and other services.  The High Needs Contingency allowing for known commitments would be fully spent by the end of this financial year.

It was agreed by the Forum during the discussion of the Use of centrally retained Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) in 2013/2014 (minute no. CBSF/13/21 refers) that the High Needs Contingency budget would be renamed Outreach Service and reported as part of the annual report.

Early Years Contingency

The Early Years Contingency budget at 31 December 2013 had a surplus of £297,051.  A report will be brought to the 24 March 2014 meeting to explain the spend to date.

It was noted that there had been a carry forward from 2012/13 of £296k which would be transferred to the Schools Block and redistributed to maintained schools.

The Senior Finance Officer provided the Forum with a breakdown of the AWPU and how it would be impacted with the redistribution of funds, with a one year additional payment identified on the budgets to be sent to schools.  The additional payment amount will be £56.

RESOLVED

That the Dedicated School Grant (DSG) Contingency spend to 31 December 2013, be noted.

To note the update on License Deficit Schools and the Schools Finance Risk Register.

The Forum considered a report which provide an update on the Licence Deficit Schools and the Schools Finance Risk Register.

Central Bedfordshire had 89 maintained schools and 47 Academies as at 31 December 2013.

There were 2 schools with an agreed license deficit with a total value of £37k. 

It was categorisation of schools in the risk register was carried out in December 2013 and determined the following:-

No Rating – 64 schools

Green – 16 schools

Amber – 7 schools

Red – 2 schools

The Forum noted that red and amber schools will receive a visit from the School Finance Adviser during the Autumn Term.  All schools will be sent a letter advising of their RAG category and the use of criteria following the School Forum update.

RESOLVED

1.        that the update on the License Deficit Schools be noted.

2.        that the update on the Schools Finance Risk Register be noted.

The Forum is asked to consider the following meeting dates and venues:

23 June 2014 –  Priory House, Shefford    6.00pm

15 Sept 2014 –  Priory House, Shefford     6.00pm

24 Nov  2014 -  Watling House, Dunstable  9.00am

26 Jan   2015 -  Watling House, Dunstable 9.00am

09 Mar  2015  – Priory House, Shefford     6.00pm

The Forum considered the proposed meeting dates for the municipal year 2014/15 and agreed them as follows:

23 June 2014 – 6.00pm – Priory House, Monks Walk, Shefford

15 Sept 2014 – 6.00pm – Priory House, Monks Walk,Shefford

24 Nov  2014 – 9.00am – Watling House, High Street North, Dunstable

26 Jan   2015 – 9.00am – Watling House, High Street North, Dunstable

09 Mar   2015 – 6.00pm – Priory House, Monks Walk, Shefford

The Forum noted that the last meeting for the 2013/14 municipal year would be held on:

24 March 2014 – 9.00am – Watling House, High Street North, Dunstable.

AGREED

The Schools Forums meeting dates for the 2014/15 municipal year.

To bring to the Forum’s attention the information contained in Table 2 “Powers and Responsibilities 2014/15” as requested by the Governor Greenleas Lower School.

The Forum received the Schools Forum: operational and good practice guide and noted that the criteria listed in Table 2 was the requirements for the Forum with regards to reports and consultations.