Venue: Via public remote access (please contact below named for instructions)
Contact: Ann Jones - Tel: 0151 511 8276 or email: ann.jones@halton.gov.uk
No. | Item |
---|---|
Apologies for Absence Minutes: Apologies had been received from Thalia Bell,
Kathryn Albiston, Simon Corner, Heather Austin and Anne Simmons. |
|
Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 26 February
2020 were agreed as a correct record. |
|
North West Locally Managed Schools (LMS) Update PDF 81 KB Minutes: The Forum was presented with an update on the
key issues discussed at the recent North West LMS meeting, which was held
virtually on 12 May 2020. This included question and answer section on
the Covid 19 pandemic and its impact on schools
budgets, which had been identified as a key regional issue. It was reported that the DfE
had set up a financial support package for schools for which further guidance would
be issued when the system was live. It
was noted that a further meeting would be set up for July, after the 2021-22
guidance was issued. RESOLVED:
That the update is noted. |
|
Additional documents: Minutes: The Forum received the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG)
Outturn for 2019-20. It was reported that the final
amount of DSG to Halton for 2019-20 was £114,320,639, which was split between
the Schools Block; High Needs Block; Early Years Block and Central School Services
Block (CSSB). The report provided
details of the expenditure within each block and supporting commentary where
necessary. Further a detailed breakdown
of the outturn was attached to the report at Appendix A. It was noted that a balance of £136,464 from
the DSG from 2019-20 would be carried forward into the 2020-21 financial
year. This would contribute towards
budget pressures in 2020-21. RESOLVED:
That the balance of £136,464 being carried over from the DSG from
2019-20 into the next financial year, be noted. |
|
High Needs Summary 2020-21 PDF 76 KB Minutes: The Forum received a summary of the commitments
to the High Needs budget for 2020-21. The total High Needs allocation for Halton was
£19,063,244, to support pupils and students aged 0 – 24 years with high
needs. It was noted that after the
recoupment of £2,906,662 (explained in paragraph 3.3) from the ESFA, the
balance of grant was ££16,156,582. The report provided a list of settings covered
by the funding. Members were referred to
Tables 2 and 3 where the proposed allocation of the funding was set out and
explained. The Forum reviewed and
discussed the amounts for each area of the High Needs Block as listed in table
2. Comments made regarding the success
of the satellite provision at Brookfields and the
establishment of this provision for Ashley in the future were noted. Following queries, it was noted that the
previously agreed £100k transfer from High Needs for the Educational
Phycologists service was included in the ‘staffing’ allocation in table 2. Also, with regards to the budget provision
for the educational phycologists, it was confirmed that the schools could keep
this funding as it may be needed once the schools are re-opened following the
Covid-19 pandemic and the demand for the service is resumed. The Forum agreed to support the budget
allocations as discussed in the report. RESOLVED: That the Schools Forum 1) Note the High Needs allocation for
2020-21; 2) Supports the budget allocation for
2020-21; and 3) Requests an update on High Needs
expenditure at the next Schools Forum meeting. |
|
School Balances 2019-20 PDF 58 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Forum considered a report which presented
the level of funding brought forward from 2019-20 by Halton’s Maintained
schools. It was noted that although schools balances
were still reported to the Schools Forum, no excess surplus balance limits were
in place. However, the Forum retained
the right to require schools to provide further information as to how their
balance would be spent, should they so decide. Further to the publication of the reports some
errors had come to light in the main report and Appendix A, so the following
corrections were made: ·
Paragraph
3.2 – balance should read £4,546,444; ·
Paragraph
3.3 – balance should read £120,429 (due to error on Ditton Nursery which should
be £35,317; ·
Paragraph
3.4 – balance should read £3,960,980 (due to error on Woodside which should be
£52,014); ·
Paragraph
3.5 – balance should be £181,678 (due to error on PRU which should be
£189,171). The total of individual schools budget balances
for Halton’s maintained schools was £4,546,444 at the end of 2019-20. The report provided a breakdown of types of
schools and officers presented Appendix A (with the above amendments noted),
which showed the balances against the 2018-19 balances for comparison. Appendix B showed the balances of Devolved Formula Capital
grant for maintained schools, and the 2018-19 balances for comparison, which
had decreased on last years. The Forum discussed the balances and the
additional costs incurred by schools due to the Covid-19 outbreak and their
reimbursement by the DfE. The Forum
suggested that in respect of school balances, comparisons going back 3 years
would be more useful in spotting trends (high or low balances) and therefore
would help in considering whether or not more information should be requested
from a particular school. This would be looked into by Financial Management. RESOLVED:
That the Schools Forum notes the report, corrections and associated
appendices. |
|
Schools Forum Contingency/Staff Dismissals Update PDF 81 KB Minutes: The Forum received an update on the total spend
against the schools contingency and staff dismissal budget in 2020. It was reported that the total budget for the
schools contingency budget for 2019-20 was £198,780 and a total spend of
£157,849 was approved at Schools Forum Sub Committees for 4 schools. This left a balance of £40,903, however,
following the DfE notification that they would no longer fund the per place funding for the
sixth form at Ashley, a total of £93,333, this sum was taken from the school
contingency. This, together with the required
rates adjustment for primary and secondary schools costing an additional
£73,759, has resulted in an overspend of
£126,161. The budget for staff dismissals was
£127,110. Following one application for
support for £105,304, which was approved by the Schools Forum Sub Committee,
the balance remaining was £21,806. Officers wished to record their thanks to all
Forum Members who had volunteered their time to sit on the Schools Forum Sub
Committees. RESOLVED:
That the Schools Forum note the spend against the school contingency and
staff dismissals budgets. |