Agenda item

The Forum will be asked to consider the Schools Budgets for 2021-22 and make relevant decisions using the attached decisions matrix. 

The Chair led the Forum though the Decision Matrix (completed version attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes) and the decisions as detailed below were made:

Resolved:

Early Years Block(Confirmation below of decisions around Early Years agreed earlier in the meeting)

1.      Schools Forum agreed to increase the current rate of 2-year-old funding to £5.48 and 3 and 4-year-old funding to £4.25 per hour.

2.      The early years block to fund the Early Years Inclusion Fund at £357,000. 

3.      If any significant increase in DfE funding be notified, the Early Years Inclusion fund should be increased accordingly during the financial year, of at least 95% pass through to providers.

Central Schools Services Block

4.      The Section B expenditure for the Central Schools Services block is agreed as follows:

Education Welfare Service                    £0.199 million

Asset Management                               £0.186 million

Statutory/Regulatory duties                  £0.669 million

Admissions                                           £0.438 million

Servicing of Schools Forum                 £0.003 million

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 £0.208 million.

6.   Schools Forum note the LA decision (Section A) to set budget at      £0.395 million for central copyright licences for 2021-22.

7.   These allocations allow a transfer of £0.192M to support the high          needs block.

8.   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.

High Needs Block  

9.      Schools Forum agreed that top up values for Named Pupil        Allowances, Extended Learning Programme’s Resource Bases and   Special Schools are to remain at the 2020-21 values and note the      proposed consultation on High Needs formula for 2022-23 with less       weighting on the historical funding factor.    

10.   Schools Forum approve the content of the DSG Management Plan as set out on pages 17 to 44 of the Agenda Supplement.

Schools Block – Delegated Budget

11.      Schools Forum agree to apply all the funding factors at the 2021-22 NFF rates.

12.      Schools Forum note the modelling of the Mobility factor and agree to introduce Mobility as a funding formula factor. 

13.      Schools Forum note the modelling of the Sparsity factor and agree to apply a proportional uplift of 3% for 2021-22. 

14.      Schools Forum agree to set the Minimum Funding Guarantee at a level of +2.0%.

15.      Schools Forum to agree that the Growth fund be set at £2.21 million – split £0.1 million Infant Class Size and £2.1 million basic need.

16.      Schools Forum agree to transfer up to a maximum of £1.517 million (0.5%) from Schools block to High Needs block. 

17.      That the budgets for De-delegation of central services be agreed as follows:

i)           Access Budget Software        £52,544

ii)         FSM Eligibility                         £27,804

iii)        Trade Union                             £70,000

iv)        EMAS & Travellers       £542,796  (Primary only)

v)         Behaviour support       £639,105  (Primary only)

vi)        Maternity supply                   £549,158

18.      That Schools Forum agree to set the overall Schools Budget at the level of the DSG Settlement – namely £406,341,860.