Issue - meetings

To receive the draft 2020/21 Schools Block Budget report.

The Forum considered a report, set out at Agenda pages 25 to 30, which gave details of the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group in relation to the draft Schools Block Budget for 2020/21. This included a consultation with all schools on the proposed indicative budgets in early January 2020. Feedback from schools would then be considered at the January meeting of the Forum prior to submission of the final proposals to the DfE in accordance with the notified deadline.

The report stated that the DfE may make changes to the Schools Block Funding for 2020/21, with the final funding allocation due to be announced by 20 December 2019.

Derren Gray (Chair of the Task and Finish Group) gave details of the issues considered by the Group, including the principles and factors used to model the propose formula for 2020/21. Derren stated that there were no significant changes to the formula compared to 2019/20 and that there had been a focus on protecting small primary schools.

Appended to the report was a schedule which provided details of:

·           A comparison of pupil numbers in 2019/20 and 2020/21;

·           The budget for the current year and an indicative budget for 2020/21;

·           Details of the increase (or decrease) in school numbers for 2020/21.

The Forum discussed the format of the schools’ consultation outlined above. It was suggested that the consultation schedule include an additional column which provided schools with an indication of what their provisional 2020/21 budget would have been if pupil numbers had remained static from the October 2018 Census.

It was also suggested that the Forum have a broader discussion on the impact of funding and demographic changes on the viability of small primary schools. Jim Leivers proposed that a strategic review of primary school provision in the Borough be undertaken in the summer of 2020.

RESOLVED That:

1)     the Funding Formula Task and Finish Group be thanked for their work in developing options for 2020/21;

2)     the proposed consultation schedule be approved, with the addition of an extra column providing schools with an indication of what their provisional 2020/21 budget would have been if pupil numbers had remained static from the October 2018 Census;

3)     the deadline for school responses to the consultation be confirmed as 10 January 2020;

4)     the consultation covering note to schools include an explanation for the short timeframe of the consultation;

5)     Derren Gray approve the consultation document to be sent to schools;

6)     the consultation feedback be considered by the Schools Forum at its meeting on 15 January 2020;

7)     following confirmation by the Schools Forum, final proposals be submitted to the DfE in line with the notified deadline; 

8)     a strategic discussion on the future of primary school provision in the Borough be held in the summer of 2020, with reports to the Schools Forum as necessary.