To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Janet Bailey, Iain Calderbank, Nicola Howard, Steve Kay, Amanda Partington, Deborah Rogers and Hannah Speakman.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business.

To determine any items on the agenda, if any, where the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

There were no items for Exclusion of Public and Press.

To consider the minutes of the Schools Forum meeting held on 12^th January 2023.

Resolved that, subject to the following amendments, the minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2023 be approved as a correct record:

1.     Present – Dave Bridson’s name be removed from list of those present received and Andrew Bridson be added.

Report of the Head of Finance – Adults & Children.

The Schools Forum received a report of the Head of Finance – Adults & Children on CSSB, De-delegation and Growth funding Outturn 2022/23.

The meeting of the Schools Forum was not quorate and therefore a decision was not determined.

Resolved:

1.     That the CSSB, De-delegation and Growth funding Outturn 2022/23 report be deferred to the next meeting of the Schools Forum on 12 October 2023.

Report of the Head of Finance – Adults & Children.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Finance – Adults & Children on High Needs Block DSG Outturn 2022/23. The report sought to outline the High Needs Block Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG Outturn) position for 2022/23.

It was reported that the 2022/23 outturn positon on the High Needs Block was a £0.806m deficit, and a cumulative deficit position of £7.7m. The recovery plan was on track to recover the deficit in 2030; however, this was subject to a number of critical factors. Rochdale had commenced work on the Delivering Better Value Programme which supported SEND transformation, however it was uncertain what impact this would have on the recovery plan.

Forum members questioned when better value would begin to be delivered. The Officer advised that the once the bid had been submitted a transformation programme would start from September and advised that although there would not be an immediate change in cost that a trajectory change should be seen. It was also discussed if parent expectation to have an ECHP in place was an issue when the needs of the child could be handled by regular school provision.

Resolved:

1.    That the High Needs Block deficit position of £0.806m for 2022/23 and a cumulative deficit position of £7.7m be noted by the Schools Forum.

Report of the Head of Finance – Adults & Children.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Finance – Adults & Children on Schools Final Outturns and Reportable Surplus 2022/23. The purpose of the report was to detail the Schools Final Outturns and Reportable Surplus 2022/23 and sought comments from members of the Schools Forum on the data reported.

It was reported that the final outturns for individual schools for the financial year 2022/23 had been finalised and the report provided detail of the overall balances held by schools as at 31 March 2023. Balances had decreased by £597k from £13,124k at 31 March 2022 to £12,527k at 31 March 2023. Schools that had a surplus balance greater than 8% of their ISB as at 31st March 2022 and again on at 31st March 2023 had a reportable surplus that was subject to review. There were 24 schools with a reportable surplus subject to review.

In considering the report members of the Forum expressed concerns regarding the schools who had failed to respond to queries about their reportable surplus. It was stressed that failure to respond was unacceptable and if reasons for any surplus were legitimate then there should not be an issue in providing this information for assessment. It was noted that some schools continue to carry large deficits every year when this money should be spent on the pupils and the delivery of resources must be suffering.

The Forum requested officers to write to the non-respondents requesting reasons for their reportable surplus and to advise the schools that failure to respond would result in their surplus being discussed at the next Schools Forum for members to consider clawing the money back.

Resolved:

1.    That the Schools Final Outturns and Reportable Surplus 2022/23 be noted by the Schools Forum.

2.    That the Head of Finance – Adults & Children write to non-respondent schools to inform that failure to provide adequate reasoning for their reportable surplus by the date of the next Schools Forum meeting on 12 October 2023, then members of the Forum would consider a resolution to claw back their surplus balance.

Report of the Director of Children’s Services.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Children’s Services on

SEND Funding Proposals & Targeted Funding Policy. The purpose of the report was to inform the Schools Forum of the new proposals and sought approval for the new funding models.

It was reported that the Local Authority were proposing that both the Targeted Funding Policy and Interim Funding policy were replaced with a new SEN Support Plus policy which would offer a more transparent and consistent policy which would provide additional funding and support in areas that data analysis had identified as being key pressure points for schools. The SEN Support Plus model would allow an educational setting to apply for up to 6 terms of funding to support CYP through their transition period without the need for an EHCNA or an Education, Health and Care plan.

In considering the report members of the Forum expressed concerns that current funding levels were not sufficient for the needs of the child. It was requested that a task and finish group be established regarding the calculation of the notional SEN budget for the group to analyse different calculation methods and factors which should be taken into consideration.

Resolved:

1.    That the Targeted Funding policy ceasing at the end of the autumn term 2023 be noted.

2.    That the Interim Funding policy ceasing at the end of the summer term 2023 be noted.

3.    That the SEN Support Plus funding model be noted.

4.    That a Task and Finish Group be established to model SEN funding formulas. The Group’s findings would be reported at the next meeting of the Schools Forum. 

To raise any other matters relating to the Schools Forum.

The Schools Forum was informed that members Tim Barnes, Primary Representative (Alkrington) and David Roberts, Secondary Representative (Secondary Governor), would be retiring from their school positions and therefore retiring as Schools Forum members.

Concerns were raised regarding the membership of the Schools Forum and the need to secure new representatives to replace retired members. Full membership was also needed to ensure there were the required representatives from all categories and to ensure that meetings would be quorate so that decisions could be determined.

Resolved:

1.     That the Chair and relevant Officers take the necessary steps to secure a full membership of the Schools Forum.