Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the 2019-20 High Needs Block Budget Consultation report.

Lynne Samuel stated that DfE requested that the Council submit a balanced Budget against the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) provided, regardless of the reality of budget pressures experienced.  The report included an early forecast for the upcoming financial year providing information on the potential budget pressures.

Carol Cammiss stated that a Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) consultation was currently underway, for which the deadline had been extended to 21 March to allow all views to be taken into account.  Various proposals to increase the capacity for specialist spaces were being pursued, such as the expansion of Addington School.  It was recognised that it was necessary to increase the number of specialist places within the Borough.  A draft strategy had been drawn up, this was supported by elected Members, and therefore there should not be any delays in approval and implementation.  Additionally, Members were lobbying the government for more financial help towards the HNB.

Paul Miller stated that it was positive that there was now more transparency and sharing of information in relation to the HNB.  However, he pointed out that the HNB deficit was still significantly high.

Carol Cammiss stated that joined-up work was necessary to tackle the challenge of the HNB deficit.  She informed that Wokingham’s position was not unique, many other local authorities were facing pressures in the HNB.  It was recognised that more specialist schools were needed in the Borough in order to cope with the expected increase in demand.  She emphasized that there was no intention to move children from their out of Borough placements where they were already settled, this was about planning for the future and becoming more efficient.

Keith McConaghy asked if the £1.6m deficit included the increased cost of expanding Brambles.  Lynne Samuel stated that the report reflected the current financial position.

Paul Miller stated that table 2 in the report was simple and easy to understand, and he would like Schools Forum to continue to receive the information in that format.

Paul Doherty informed that the bid to government to open a new specialist school in Wokingham had not been successful.  However, a joint bid to open a specialist school with Reading had been successful and that this school may need to use the land/premises that the unsuccessful Wokingham specialist school had previously planned to use.  This joint venture now required a high level of negotiation, agreement between the two local authorities and political support to move forward.

RESOLVED That the report be noted.