The Forum will be asked to consider the Schools Budgets for 2020-21 and make relevant decisions using the decisions matrix (which will be circulated at the meeting).
Minutes:
Grant Davis (Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager) reported that agreement was required from the Forum to set the overall Schools Budget at the level of the DSG Settlement of £374,503,029.
Resolved:
1. That Schools Forum agree to set the overall Schools Budget at the level of the DSG Settlement – namely £374,503,029.
Grant then shared some PowerPoint slides with the Forum which gave details of the position and options to be considered if the growth fund was to be set at £1 million or £2.6 million. If the growth fund was set at £2.6 million it would give £1.7 million of headroom and would represent 0.59% of the allocation of Schools Block funding. If we only allocated £1 million that would create a Schools Block reserve which Schools Forum could determine how it could be used.
Marie Taylor (Head of Finance – Children and Education) reported that there was concern that if the consultation from the DfE resulted in the removal of DSG overspent deficit reserve from future years funding, if Schools Forum opted not to transfer funds and / or 2020-21, this could increase school funding to a level which might not be sustained in the future as the DfE would update the legislation and remove future local flexibility and schools might commit to spending they could not afford in future years.
Officers gave examples of the monetary amounts of the possible % transfers between blocks. The Forum were reminded that the DfE allow a transfer of up to 0.5%. The Authority had already made a disapplication request to the Secretary of State and the request would have more weight if it was supported by the Schools Forum.
Officers highlighted the range of options but wanted to ensure that the Forum were aware that a reduction in funding rates would have a compensating impact on Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) and the Minimum Per Pupil Funding Levels (MPPFL). If the Forum agreed to not fund Mobility this would release £571,828 but after MFG and PPPFL it would make £345,186 available for transfer. Also funding FSM6 at 75% would release £1.673 million but after MFG and MPPFL would be £1.017 million available for transfer.
The Chairman reported that he felt the Forum would need to transfer from the Schools Block to the High Needs block but because the DfE had not yet issued their guidance we don’t know yet if they might top slice this block in the future.
The Forum debated the options presented and it was noted that there was agreement that the Mobility factor NOT be funded. This enabled the discussions to move on to consideration of option (applying all NFF values, setting growth fund at £2.6 million and no funding of Mobility factor). This Option would also include a transfer of £2.065 million to the high needs block.
The growth fund set at the DfE level would be higher than the required estimate by an estimated £1.6m which means the underspend would offset in year overspends elsewhere and be available to lower the amount of any adverse variance in 2020-21 financial year. The variance blocks would be accounted for separately to allow further consideration once the DfE have updated the legislation around treatment of the DSG.
Schools Forum wished for it be recorded that the importance of inclusion needs to be pressed. Schools Forum had repeatedly campaigned for fairer funding and was now at the point where the full NFF values could be afforded. Therefore, it felt wholly appropriate to fund schools at this level.
The Chairman concluded the discussion that the consensus was there was agreement for the option to transfer £2.065m (0.7%) but that support for Helean Hughes work on inclusion needs to be highlighted to encourage inclusive practice.
Resolved:
2. That the Option to transfer £2.065m (0.7%) was agreed by the Forum.
Central Schools Services Block
3. The Section B expenditure for the Central Schools Services block is agreed as follows:
Education Welfare Service £0.194 m
Asset Management £0.181 m
Statutory/Regulatory duties £0.651 m
Admissions £0.426 m
Servicing of Schools Forum £0.003 m
4. That the Forum do not agree to transfer £70,290 from the Schools Block to create an Admission Appeals subsidy or, include in Section B of the CSSB.
5. Central spend on historic commitments (Section C) agreed as follows:
i) Funding for LAC Personal Education Plans be funded at £0.103 million;
ii) Funding for Child Protection Officer in Schools Adviser at £0.056 million; and
iii) Prudential Borrowing at £0.300 million.
6. Schools Forum note the LA decision (Section A) to set budget at £0.382 million for central copyright licences for 2020/21.
7. Schools Forum agree that there be no top slice for services formerly funded from the general duties’ element of ESG pending DfE grant announcement unless a significant change to DfE grant for School Improvement is notified.
Schools Block – Delegated Budget
8. Schools Forum agreed that Free School Meal Ever 6 formula factor be set at 100% of the NFF value.
9. Schools Forum agree to the Minimum Funding Guarantee being set at +1.84%.
10.Schools Forum agree not to implement the Mobility factor for the 2020-21 year.
11.Schools Forum note the Growth Funding awarded of £2.6 million from the DfE and agreed that the Wiltshire Growth fund be set at £2.6 million.
12.Schools Forum agreed that Wiltshire will not implement a falling rolls fund in 2020/21.
13.Schools Forum unanimously agreed to transfer £2.065 million (0.7%) from Schools block to High Need block subject to a disapplication request to the Secretary of State.
14.That the budgets for De-delegation of central services be agreed as follows:
i) HCSS £61,014
ii) FSM Eligibility £21,388
iii) Trade Union £70,000
iv) EMAS & Travellers £528,269 (Primary only)
v) Behaviour support £612,000 (Primary only)
vi) Maternity supply £524,460
Early Years Block
15.Schools Forum agreed that the Wiltshire Early Years Single Funding Formula be set at £4.20 per hour. This rate to be reconsidered in August 2020 if funding allows. Rurality to be set at £0.52 per hour and deprivation set at £0.40 per hour.
16.The early years block to fully fund the Early Years Inclusion Fund at £367,300, to be increased if the January 2020 census increase allows.
17.If any significant increase in DfE funding be notified, the Early Years Inclusion fund should be increased accordingly during the financial year, to a maximum of 95% pass through to providers.
18.Schools Forum agreed that 95% of 3 & 4-year-old funding would be passed through to providers.
19.Schools Forum agreed that the funding rate for two-year olds would be set at £5.40 per hour.
High Needs Block
20.Schools Forum agreed that values for Special Schools, ELPs and Resources Bases are to remain at the 2019/20 values and that proposed reductions of NPAs and top ups are to be taken forward by the High Needs Recovery Group.
21.Schools Forum agreed that funding levels for alternative provision to remain unchanged from the 2018/19 and 2019/20 levels and that budgets to be fixed for the next three years to ensure stability.
22.Schools Forum agreed that proposals be developed to meet on-going shortfall in budget and that any transfer from the Schools block cannot be deemed as recurrent.
A copy of the completed Decision Matrix is attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes.