Milton Keynes' Schools Forum
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MILTON KEYNES’ SCHOOLS FORUM Margaret Powell House, 401 Midsummer Boulevard MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER 2018 AT 3.00 PM PRESENT: Primary School Representatives Lizzie Bancroft – Loughton Manor First School Kirk Hopkins – Oldbrook School Elisabeth Morrison – Brooklands Farm School Jake Yeo – Bushfield School Primary School Governors Francis Grant – Great Linford Primary School Paul Hussey – Roman Village Federation (Chair) Secondary School Governor Paul Herbert – St Paul’s Catholic School Academy Representatives Neil Barrett – Stephenson Academy Jane Edwards – Heronsgate School, David Gibson for Michelle Currie – Walton High Andy Squires – Denbigh School Academy Governors John Howe – Denbigh School Dave Moulson – Ousedale School 14-19 Partnership Lindsey Styles – Milton Keynes College Church of England Diocese Kieran Salter – Diocesan Authority – St Mary and St Giles C of E School Trade Union Representative Anita Richards – National Education Union District Secretary LA OFFICERS: Sonia Hattle – Senior Finance Business Partner Natasha Hutchin – Strategic Finance Business Partner Jordan Mcdougall – Finance Business Partner Caroline Marriott – Head of Delivery SEND CLERK: Sue Puddifoot – Governor Support - Children and Families SF 692 WELCOME AND APOLOGIES Item 1 The Chair welcomed all to the meeting. Apologies for absence had been received by the clerk from: SCHOOLS FORUM 18 OCTOBER 2018 PAGE 1 Natalie Fowler – Knowles Nursery School Allison Collis – Rickley Park Michael Manley – Diocesan Authority Norman Miles – MK Primary PRU Antony Moore – Giles Brook School Christine Ryan – Cold Harbour C of E School Deb Spinks – Moorlands Centre Nursery School Finlay Douglas – White Spire School, Glen Martin – Shenley Brook End and Lynne Johnson - Pre School Learning Alliance were absent. SF 693 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Item 2 Anita Richards declared an interest in Item 5 regarding facilities time. SF 694 MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING Item 3 The minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2018 were agreed as an accurate record. There were no matters arising from the minutes. SF 695 BUDGET MONITORING - 2018/19 FORECAST OUTTURN (Sonia Hattle) Item 4 The purpose of this report was to advise Schools Forum of the latest Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) funding allocation and the period six outturn position for 2017/18. Sonia Hattle drew attention to the report with the main points highlighted as: The early years allocation for 2017/18, unknown at the close of accounts pending the January 2018 census data, had been confirmed as a reduction of £960k, compared to the estimated £968k. Therefore, this only had a minor impact on the 2018/19 forecasting. The effect on the overall early years block 2018/19 budget allocation was a reduction of £1.856m. This will also be subject to recalculation based on actual take up in January 2019. The table in 3.3 of the report showed the changes in funding allocation. The period 6 outturn summary was detailed in the table in paragraph 3.7, followed by explanations of the significant variations to the budget in section 4. Schools Forum questioned the forecast underspend in Independent Special School fees of £494k. Caroline Marriott explained that this reflected the focus to keep people as local as possible and provide specialist provision as far as they were able. However, it was noted that future provision was unpredictable. Attention was drawn to the forecast underspend of £520k in top-up funding. Was this due to the refusal of panel requests? Caroline Marriott explained that the guidance had been changed as to when schools need SCHOOLS FORUM 18 OCTOBER 2018 PAGE 2 to use the notional budget and to educate schools so that there was a level playing field. In November the vacant places would be assessed and local planning reviewed in view of need. Schools Forum were reminded that this area of the budget had been overspent at the latter part of last year and that in light of this, the budget for 2018/19 had actually been increased. It was highlighted that the underspend was across all top up budgets, not just those relating to panel requests. However, it was felt that schools were having to take account of net funding by raising this threshold while there were surplus funds available. Natasha highlighted that although there is an underspend at present, the contingency within the high needs block is very low when compared to the volatility of the budget and now that the blocks were ring-fenced it was essential to develop a sustainable multi-year budget plan on the block. Schools Forum felt that a breakdown of high needs spending in December under the High Needs item would be helpful to further discussion and it was agreed that more detail would be included in the next report and reference groups could be held ahead of the next Forum meeting to discuss this in more detail. Referring to the capacity of schools to provide for high needs from the notional budget, schools could not go to panel without evidence that they had spent this £6k on the child and this was not always possible. This aspect would be explored further. SEN budgets were used on existing staff and again it was highlighted that SEN funding is intended to meet additional needs in schools. High Needs expenditure would be reviewed in December and Caroline Marriott would look at this again. Regular forecast meetings between finance and the service did take place due to the volatility of the block. Forum members pointed out that schools were in crisis coping with high needs, and this was especially difficult if they were in deficit and could not demonstrate how they were spending the money. There was also a massive difference under the old system and the numbers now going to panel due to the change in thresholds. Section 5 of the report detailed the de-delegated contingency budget and how to make best use of the £136k currently in the contingency; Views were requested and following discussion, Schools Forum were of the opinion that this should be redistributed back to primary schools, especially as so many had set in year deficits. Natasha highlighted that school balances overall had continued to rise and although initially schools predicted in year deficits, this often ended up not being the case. Section 6 detailed an Early Years Central Funding request for £56k to purchase additional Early Years Capita One modules to integrate early years with the schools database to give one fluent picture, as the current systems were not working together. SCHOOLS FORUM 18 OCTOBER 2018 PAGE 3 Schools Forum asked how much impact this would have on schools administrative systems. Testing was currently taking place, however, it was felt it would mean less work as the system was already being used and it was more user friendly. There would be training provided and checks would be made to see if it could be accessed from mobile phones. RESOLVED 2.3 Schools Forum approved central funding of £56k from the 2017/18 early years block underspend to invest in the development of the software and payments system. In favour 4 Against 0 Abstentions 9 Section 7 of the report set out a growth funding request for an additional 30 places to support Year 3 at Oxley Park Academy. The need had arisen due to strong housing development and out of area pupils accessing places in this year group. Schools Forum discussed these reasons and were concerned that there was no double funding of places. There was a contingency element in the growth fund of £226k and £60k was required to fund the places. The pupils were already at the school from September 2018. A full review of the remaining forecast on the growth contingency would be included in the December budget report and any underspends released back into the schools block. RESOLVED 2.4 Schools Forum approved funding of £60k to be paid from the primary in-year growth fund contingency. In favour 7 Against 1 Abstentions 6 SF 696 DE-DELEGATION REQUESTS 2019/20 (Sonia Hattle) Item 5 The purpose of this report was to give maintained primary school members of the Schools Forum the opportunity to agree to de-delegate funding during the 2019/20 financial year for the specific purposes outlined in the report. Schools Forum noted the background detailed in the report and the following services were offered for de-delegation: Contingency - to cover exceptional costs and schools in financial difficulty (Annex 1). Existing £136k to be carried over and no further funding requested to be de-delegated (covered in the budget SCHOOLS FORUM 18 OCTOBER 2018 PAGE 4 monitoring item). Social, emotional and mental health difficulties specialist teaching team (Annex 2) Facilities time (Annex 3) Support for minority ethnic pupils (Annex 4) RESOLVED 2.1 Maintained primary school members agreed to de-delegate £414k funding for the following items: For social, emotional and mental health difficulties specialist teaching team (£227k): In favour 6 Against 0 Abstentions 0 For facilities time (£30k) Teaching staff: In favour 5 Against 0 Abstentions 1 For facilities time (£30k) Support staff: In favour 6 Against 0 Abstentions 0 For minority ethnic pupil support (£127k): In favour 4 Against 0 Abstentions 2 SF 697 GOVERNMENT UPDATES - INFORMATION AND NEXT STEPS FOR NFF/DSG (Natasha Hutchin) Item 6 The purpose of this item was to provide Schools Forum with an update on Government announcements relating to the National Funding Formula (NFF), other parts of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and information relevant to all schools. Local Authorities would continue to determine a local formula in 2020/21. Nationally, significant progress had been made to transition to the NFF, however some authorities had not made as fast a transition and the DfE believed an extension to the period would enable a smoother transition to the new formula.