TITLE	Local Authority Annual Report to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator
FOR CONSIDERATION BY	School Admissions Forum on 14 June 2016
WARD	None Specific
DIRECTOR	Judith Ramsden

OUTCOME / BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY That the statutory report to the Schools Adjudicator captures local concerns so as to help the development of national policy in a way which benefits Wokingham residents
RECOMMENDATION That Forum members make such recommendations as they see fit concerning the content of the final report.
SUMMARY OF REPORT The template for the annual report is attached. In previous years the School Admissions Manager completed the draft report in advance of this meeting. This year the report will be written in June, in the light of comments made by the Forum. Wokingham no longer employs a dedicated schools admissions manager with responsibilities split between an operational admissions team and the strategic commissioning team and the writing of the report has been scheduled for June.

Background The local authority is required to submit an Annual Report to the Office of the School’s Adjudicator (OSA) by 30 June each year in accordance with changes made to the law made by the Education & Skills Act (ESA) 2008 and regulations, in particular Statutory Instrument 2008 No 3091. The OSA has produced a template for use by local authorities. This template is varied by the OSA each year. Although there is no requirement to use the template, its completion assists the Chief Adjudicator in her analysis of the information requested to make her report to the Secretary of State for Education. There is a requirement for the report to be published by the local authority by the same date and the final submitted report will be published to the School Admissions part of the council’s website.
Analysis of Issues

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE RECOMMENDATION

The Council faces severe financial challenges over the coming years as a result of the austerity measures implemented by the Government and subsequent reductions to public sector funding. It is estimated that Wokingham Borough Council will be required to make budget reductions in excess of £20m over the next three years and all Executive decisions should be made in this context.

How much will it Cost/ (Save)	Is there sufficient funding – if not quantify the Shortfall	Revenue or Capital?
Current Financial Year (Year 1)	N/A	N/A	N/A
Next Financial Year (Year 2)	N/A	N/A	N/A
Following Financial Year (Year 3)	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other financial information relevant to the Recommendation/Decision
N/A

Cross-Council Implications
N/A

List of Background Papers
N/A

Contact Piers Brunning	Service Childrens
Telephone No	Email piers.brunning@wokingham.gov.uk
Date	Version No.

Appended

Local Authority Report to the Schools Adjudicator