Agenda item

To note the contents of the report and the impact of the increased surplus on future years.

The Forum received a report for information in relation to the High Needs Block (HNB) monitoring position as at 31 January 2022, projected to 31 March 2022.

The HNB grant for 2021/22 reported to Schools Forum on 13 December 2021 was £53.555m.

The anticipated in year surplus previously reported to Forum in January 2022 was £1.735m. This had now been revised to an in-year surplus of £2.389m.

There had been a positive movement of £0.654m in the in-year surplus from the figures reported in January 2022 to those reported today. An explanation of the movement was shown in Table 1 below.

The balance bought forward as at 1st April 2021 was £0.597m surplus.

Appendix 1, to the report, showed the 2021/22 High Needs Block budget allocation, the actual expenditure as at 31 January 2022 and the variance from budget together with a short explanation of the variance.

Table 1, below, showed the movement in the in-year surplus.

The in-year anticipated surplus would be added to the brought forward from 2020/21 to give an estimated amount to carry forward into 2022/2023 of £2.986m.

This does not indicate that the HNB going forward was in a stable position. It meant that the anticipated deficit in future years would slip back but not be eradicated.

More forecasting would be provided when the final budgets for 2022/2023 had been finalised and cash flows could be produced.

Appendix 2, to the report, showed the Focus Provision and Special School commissioned places for the period 1/4/21 - 31/3/22 together with the average occupancy for the period 1/4/21-31/1/22 together with the funding for additional places over the financial year based on an annual average. It also showed the number of other LAs using Sandwell provisions. A provision for the in-year adjustment for place was already built into the original budget figures so had not resulted in a pressure.

The delegation to schools for 2021/2022 had been closed mid-February 2022 to amendments. Any changes between then and the end of the financial year would be made in 2022/23. Three of the four Special schools went over initial funded commissioned places and had been funded for the additional pupil places.

The under occupancy as at 31 January 2022 was 3% in Focus Provisions. Primary Focus Provision were predominately full whilst Secondary Focus Provisions were running at 7%. The percentage discrepancy was due to some primary FPs being over commissioned places.

There was a separate report on the PRUs so data had not been covered in this part of the monitoring report. The separate report was requested by Schools Forum on 13 December 2021.

In relation to the information contained within Appendix 2 to the report, Members queried if the 78 out of Borough children within Sandwell Special Schools, but were the responsibility of other LA’s, was a higher number than previous years.

M Tallents advised that the number was slightly higher than previous years which she believed was as a result of LA’s competition to get specialist places. With Academy Schools, LA’s could go direct to Academies to seek places due to Academies being their own Admission Authority.

Members understood the reasons for doing so, but raised their concerns when Sandwell children could not be allocated a place at one of Sandwell’s special Schools for this very reason.

Members queried why the carry-forward of £2.986m had increased and if this in any way tied into the SEN consultation previously undertaken and if this issue was no longer of concern.

J Gill advised that the SEN consultation issue had not gone away. £0.5m of this carry-forward figure had been brought forward from 2021. This increase would be taken into account when the next forecast was due to be calculated.

Another Member queried if there was a process in place to try and ensure, as far as was practicable, that Sandwell referrals to Special School places were made ahead of referrals from outside of Sandwell. The result of not getting Sandwell’s referrals made before external ones, being the effect on the High Needs Block if Sandwell children needed to be placed out of Borough.

M Tallents advised that all Special Schools in Sandwell should now have received the consultation on this matter, which was the process by which it was identified what places were required. This would be discussed and agreed upon in the near future. The other factor to be taken into account on this matter, was that a child’s EHCP could be finalised at any point throughout the year and available places would have to be assessed at that point.

Another Member queried how many of the total available places at Sandwell Special schools had been allocated to out of Borough placements.

M Tallents advised that there were a total of 95 spaces availbale between Shenstone and Brades and that 33 places had been filled with out of Borough placements at Shenstone and 7 at Brades.

J Gill advised that other LA’s did have the power to direct placements as well.

The Forum noted the contents of the report. In addition, the Forum also noted the increased surplus on future years and recognised

that further forecasting would be produced in the future to help the Forum understand this matter in more detail.