Agenda and minutes

Schools Forum to observe a minute silence in respect of Schools Forum Governor representative Bob Patel.

Schools Forum observed a minute silence in respect of Governor representative Bob Patel who had recently passed away.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Deborah Steen, Lucy Bray and Michael Jarrett

Members to declare any interests in matters to be discussed at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2023 as a correct record.

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2023 be approved as a correct record.

Schools Forum to note the School Budget Information 2023/24.

Schools Forum were updated on the final school budget information for the financial year 2023/24.

The report had allowed school governing bodies and academy boards to start their financial planning for 2023/24 and to make appropriate structural and educational adjustments to meet the needs of young people within the constraints of their resource allocations.

The Schools Block funding which was distributed through the main funding formula was noted as:

The APT model submitted to Schools Forum for approval in January had been cleansed/revised, the changes submitted by the DfE were noted as:

·      The column reflecting “growing schools” had been updated. This had resulted in a shortfall within the APT funding model of £712,000 as schools that opened in the last 7 years were exempt from the capping and scaling exercise.

·      The PFI calculations within the APT funding model had to meet the DfE minimum 7% uplift requirement (originally 4%). This was not known at the time and resulted in a further shortfall of £60,000.

·      The rates for two schools recently converting to academy were adjusted resulting in an additional shortfall of £20,000.

The update resulted in a revision to the capping and scaling percentages as follows:

The change meant that, gains up to 0.31% were kept by schools, and any gains above 0.31% were scaled back by 40.07%.

The capping and scaling was reflected in the 2023-24 schools funding tables as a negative Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG).

The school funding model had been approved by the DfE on 24 February 2023 and the tables to support the Schools Block element of funding was issued to schools on 28 February 2023.

The submitted tables were revised 3 working days later on 6 March 2023 as there had been an error on the presentation on Table A.  The revision concerned the (MFG) and adversely affected 64% of schools. A correction had been sent out with an apology and a full explanation.

A full worked example for MFG for each school had been included with the revised budget tables to demonstrate exactly how the capping and scaling had been calculated.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

The factor rates for the local authority formula applied to school’s budgets for 2023/24 was as follows:

School Forum members expressed serious concerns over the mistakes that had been made with regards to the budget and wished to express  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14/23

Schools Forum to note the contents of the report in relation to the 2023/24 HNB Grant Budget.

Schools Forum were updated on the HNB 2023/24 Budget Information.

The HNB Provisional Grant for 2023/24 was £71.519million. After deductions of £3.782million the grant available for distribution was equated to £67,737million.

The table on 2023/24 reductions showed the deductions of £3.782million which had been made at source to the HNB and paid directly to the various educational establishments.

The deductions had been revised during the year and notified to the Council if applicable. A further deduction was anticipated for the agreed increased in commissioned places at Shenstone Lodge/ Brades equating to £250K and Sandwell College £70K. Both of these items had been accounted for in the budgeted figures for 2023/24.

Discussions were ongoing in respect of Teachers Pay and Teachers Pensions Grant and the Special Schools Additional Grant. These would be allocated to budget heads once agreed.

HNB 2023/24 Budget Allocations

Budgeted Specialist places

The HNB had budgeted for 1335 whole time equivalents (WTE) Specialist Places in Sandwell Provisions across Special Schools, Mainstream Focus Provisions and PRUs. This was an increase of 68 additional places from the 2022/23 budget that was reported to Schools Forum in March 2022.

The Commissioned Specialist Places & PRU Places table shows the places commissioned for the financial year 2023/24. These were WTE where places are commissioned from 1 September 2023.

Schools Forum noted the report in relation to the HNB Grant Budget 2023/24.

Schools Forum to note the contents of the report in relation to the 2022/23 HNB Grant budget monitoring for the period 1 April – 28 February 2023.

Schools Forum was provided with the HNB monitoring position as of 28 February 2023 projected to 31 March 2023.

The HNB budget for 2022/23 reported to Schools Forum on 26 September was £60.808million, net of deductions. 

The balance bought forward as 1 April 2022 was £3.930million surplus.

The anticipated in year deficit was at 30 November 2022 projected to 31 March 2023 was previously reported to Schools Forums noted as £1.266million.

The current position as at 28 February 2023 projected to 31 March 2023 was now an in-year surplus of £0.197million.

Officers reported on the variations to the High Needs Block and Schools Forum noted:

Variation 1 – Independent Schools

Out of borough placements, show a budget pressure of £1.427million. This was less than the previously reported figures of £2.039million due to slippage in the dates when pupils were expected to take up places and a reduction in the anticipated tri part funded places following a meeting in January 2023 with Sandwell Social Care Trust. A contingency sum had been included for new placements equating to £700K which had now been removed as these placements would not occur in this financial year. However, they would impact next year.

The Placement and Provision Panel were placing 2-3 pupils per week in the Autumn term and this appeared to have slowed down slightly, although an upturn was expected September 2023 following 2022 phased transfers exercise.

Variation 2 – Mainstream Schools

There had been an increase in both EHCP assessments and the funding of early years pupils which had resulted in a pressure of £730K in delegated funding to school for individual pupil support which was an increase from previously reported figures following closure of the delegation. Previously reported was £683K

Variation 3 – Focus Provision Schools

There had been an increase in EHCP assessments which had resulted in a projected overspend of £175K on the delegated funding provided to Focus Provisions. On closing down the delegation this was now a pressure of £173K.

Variation 4 – SEN Special Unit

A new Special Unit had been agreed at Uplands Primary School. It was previously budgeted for within the SEN Developments cost centre when the budgets for 2022/23 were finalised as discussions were still underway with the school at that point. More Pupils had been placed in the provision than was expected in November 2022 therefore funding increased from £186K to £214K.

Variation 5 – High Point Special School

There are more pupils on roll at High Point from 1 September 2022 than was anticipated when the budget was prepared. Therefore, there was a pressure of £186K, however, now the delegation was closed the pressure is £156K

Variation 6 – Early Years

An amount of £480k from the Early Years Grant was used to offset the early support for pupils in private provider settings and those in mainstream early years settings. Predicted costs in private provider settings had increased from £710K previously reported to £850K as more and more support for early years is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16/23

Schools Forum to consider and approve the update to the Scheme for the Financing of Schools.

Schools Forum considered the Scheme for the Financing of Schools.

A small change to the Fair Funding Scheme had been identified in respect of the approval of Direct Debit / Standing Order transactions.

Appendix A of the Fair Funding Scheme (School Bank Account Scheme) reference 1.12 (page 20) stipulates:

“Direct Debits, standing orders (other than those for Sandwell MBC charges or traded services) BACS or other electronic means of payment must not be applied to the account, without obtaining the written authorisation of the Chief Finance Officer.”

The proposed change concerns the written authorisation. It was proposed that this change be from the Chief Financial Officer to the Finance Business Partner.

Resolved that:-

the update to the Scheme for the Financing of Schools be approved.

Schools Forum to note the Forward Plan for 2023/24.

Schools Forum noted the items of the 2023/24 Schools Forum Forward Plan.

Schools Forum was advised that the deadlines within the Forward Plan reflected those required by the DfE. It was therefore difficult to change any proposed dates without having a detrimental effect on the ability to meet the deadlines. However, officers would work to ensure that schools were informed and had the necessary time to engage with any consultation.

To consider the membership of the ongoing Working Groups and the appointment of substitute members.

Schools Forum considered the membership of the ongoing Working Groups and the appointment of substitute members and work would be undertaken to ensure appointments.