Agenda item

Lynne Samuel explained the timeline process of consultation with schools on the Budget, had aimed to have the feedback from schools for discussion at this October meeting of Schools Forum.  However, there had been an unprecedented number of challenges in preparing the budget for 2023/24 which had made it impossible to achieve the desired timescales for consultation with schools in time for this meeting.  Had the consultation timeline been achieved, it would have enabled sufficient time to include Schools Forum’s views and apply for any dis-applications to the ESFA.

The Local Authority will need to apply for dis-applications before the next meeting of Schools Forum.  There is sufficient time to conduct a consulation before the dis-application deadline.  Officers were asking Schools Forum to accept the schools’ response to the consultation without having an opportunity to consider the outcomes/responses and make a formal response.

Lynne Samuel drew attention to the main points of the consultation, which were:

1.     Principles of the Schools Block funding formula

2.     Disapplication request for our all-through school re split site funding

3.     Proposed 0.5% transfer from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block 

4.     Notional SEN methodology

5.     Growth Fund methodology

Lynne Samuel pointed out that if schools and Schools Forum were not supportive of points 2 and 3, the Local Authority would have to submit a dis-application request to the DfE by November.

The Chairman further clarified that Schools Forum had a formal responsibility to make a recommendation on the Budget setting, based upon the feedback gained from the consultation with all the schools in the borough.  However, there would not be another meeting of Schools Forum to discuss the results of the consultation before the deadline to submit dis-applications.

Derren Gray clarified that point 2 was to address the inequities created by having an all through school with a large secondary school and a small primary school.

In relation to point 3, Derren Gray explained that the Task and Finish Group was willing to help the Local Authority to compose the wording for the consultation, the recurring issue, as in previous years, was to have confirmation of how the money transferred would be used. 

Sal Thirlway agreed that transparency was very important and agreed to share this with schools.

In response to a question Lynne Samuel stated that it was due to the complexities of this years’ budget setting process, that it had not been possible to submit the consultation to schools earlier.

Sal Thirlway confirmed that if the 0.5% transfer from the Schools Block to the HNB was not supported, the Local Authority was likely to submit a dis-application request to the DfE.

Schools Forum asked that the Task and Finish Group, in particular Derren Gray, be involved in the production of the wording and explanations to go out in the consultation.

Upton being put to the vote, 14 members voted in favour of accepting the consultation results and 2 members voted against it.

Lynne Samuel added that there would be information sessions available for schools if they needed more explanation on the consultation.

RESOLVED That:

1)     Schools Forum noted the planned timeline for the consultation process;

2)     The Task and Finish Group would be involved in producing the wording and explanation contained in the consultation; and

3)     Schools Forum would accept the results of the consultation.