Agenda item

To receive and consider the 2021/22 High Needs Block Budget report.

Lynne Samuel presented the 2021/22 High Needs Block (HNB) Budget report.  Some of the points made during her presentation are listed below:

·           The report contained detailed information to enable Schools Forum to understand the activity within the HNB, in order to make a decision on the 2021/22 Budget;

·           There had an uplift in funding from the DfE which had increased the HNB allocation by £2.28 million.  In addition, there was the transfer of 0.5% from the Schools Block into the HNB;

·           In line with the national context, in Wokingham demand for services continued to outstretch resources;

·           The plans to develop and increase the number of placements within the borough continued;

·           It was recognised that the funding for mainstream schools had remained static for a number of years and had been raised to support schools;

·           Post-16 funding had remained the same and was going to be reviewed during the summer to ascertain if it was still appropriate;

·           The review of resource bases continued;

·           Special Schools funding was being reviewed yearly and incorporated inflation increases.

During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:

·           Derren Gray asked that the figures relating to the take up of resource spaces (page 54 of the agenda) for this year and previous years be included in future reports; Lynne Samuel agreed to circulate this information with the minutes

·           Lynne Samuel stated that the current position was as stated in appendixes B and C;

·           The funding model for Chiltern Way School was detailed in the report;

·           Lynne Samuel stated that the biggest challenged continued to be the financial cost to independent and non-maintained special schools, work was ongoing to develop more in-borough provision;

·           Lynne Samuel stated that a review of Foundry College which aimed to ensure a strategy and delivery model were aligned with financial planning was ongoing;

·           Lynne Samuel stated that in recognition of the significant financial challenges faced by Foundry College, and the timeline of the review to inform longer term budget planning, £400k has been earmarked from the 2021/22 HNB to support the revised operating model at Foundry. Drawdown of the funds would be overseen through programme governance in line with recommendations from the project group. However, the objective of this budget was to directly protect Foundry from falling into significant deficit as the year progresses;

·           Lynne Samuel stated that the hospital education factor had increased by 8% for the 2021/22 financial year.  Willow House was fully funded from the HNB;

·           Lynne Samuel stated that the funding of £150k for the Inclusion Group was being retained for the 2021/22 financial year;

·           Lynne Samuel stated that £300k had been earmarked from the HNB to support the SEND Innovation and Improvement Programme, this was being match funded by the Council’s improvement programme;

·           Lynne Samuel emphasized that reaching a balanced HNB Budget remained a challenge, with the number of EHCPs predicted to increase, a potential deficit of £2.54 million was being projected;

·           Lynne Samuel sated that the report contained a link to a DfE consultation on the funding formula for 2022/23;

·           In response to a question Lynne Samuel agreed to include the number of EHCPs and how much they cost in future reports.

The Chairman explained that the DfE did not allow for an unbalanced Budget to be submitted, therefore, column A of the report would be submitted to the DfE.  However, it was known that a deficit of over £2 million was projected for the year.

Carol Cammiss confirmed that the senior leadership within the Council recognized the complexity of the HNB and seriousness of the deficit, and the responsibility in trying to reduce it.  Carol Cammiss also confirmed that the Council had been made aware of the HNB deficit planned for 2021/22 and that the Council’s Finance Director would write to Schools Forum confirming that understanding.

Derren Gray asked if there was an income from children out of the borough who were placed in our resource places.  Lynne Samuel explained that this funding was received by resource spaces directly. 

Members were pleased with the quality and format of the report, and in particular the non-finance data that reported planned and actual activity levels.

Due to the complexities involving HNB, Lynne Samuel offered to deliver a training session for members, this was agreed and would be organised at a later date.

Upon being put to the vote Schools Forum members voted in favour of the recommendations contained in the report and approved the 2021/22 High Needs Block Budget to be submitted to DfE.

RESOLVED That:

1)     Schools Forum approves the 2021/22 High Needs Block Budget as presented in the report; and

2)     Schools Forum will continue to monitor the High Needs Block using the Forecast as the benchmark for the 2021/22 year.