Agenda and minutes

To note the current and any updates to the membership of the Schools Forum.

The membership of the Schools Forum was noted.

Apologies for absence had been received from Angela Doherty, Perina Holness, Vijita Patel, Sam White and Peter Sprinz.  

No declarations were made

There were no announcements.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 5^th February 2019.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the last meeting -

Page 1 - Kim Issroff’s apologies for absence had not been noted.

The Early Years school places and the review by ISOS

Members asked why the scheduled report with a further update on progress of new Early Years and work by the ISOS group had not been included on this agenda. Stating that the issue of gathering information on early years places and the implications for school places/funding had been raised over a number of months and as yet, this information had not been provided. Another school year would be starting in a matter of weeks and schools had lost the opportunity to plan and implement changes for the coming year.  

In response the Forum was informed that the financial issues and concerns about the funding of early years had not been lost sight of and that nursery schools would be considered as part of the place planning taking place. This work would be carried out quickly and that there was significant urgency about some of the strands of the review. The work had proved to be more complex but was under way and would be included in the agenda for the next meeting in September.  

RESOLVED

THAT the minutes of the 5^th February 2019 be agreed as a correct record.

To Note: All

There was no urgent business.

Agenda planning for future meetings of the Schools Forum. 

The agenda planning for the next meeting on 17^th September 2019 was considered and it was agreed that there would be a combined report on the place planning review and early years.   

Action By: Director of Education and

the Director of Early Intervention and Prevention

 RESOLVED

THAT the forward plan of agenda items for 17^th September 2019 and the updated agenda item be noted.

To Note: All

Action By: Director of Education

Report of the Director of Education, Supporting People

This report provides the financial outturn position for 2018/19. It explains the closing position at which there was an overall £0.220m overspend across the DSG blocks. However, a prior year adjustment of £0.48m by the ESFA resulted in a £0.259m net positive movement of the centrally held DSG reserves with individual schools balances decreasing by £0.495m.

The report also updates the forum on the latest funding situation for the current financial year, 2019/20, and outlines the range of current pressures resulting from the ongoing “real terms” funding constraint and the most recent details on the National Funding formula (NFF).

This report outlines the potential impacts to funding arrangements over the next few years from the current planned transition to a “hard” national funding formula (NFF) which has now been put forward another year to in April 2021. It also indicates the measures that the authority, in conjunction with schools forum, head teachers and Camden Learning have taken to support schools through this transition and to help schools to prepare for potential reductions in real terms funding.

Finally, the report also informs forum of the most recent updates on the government’s NFF proposals.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Education that provided information on the financial outturn position for 2018/19. It explained the closing position and the overall overspend across the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) blocks. And that a prior year adjustment by the ESFA had resulted in a net positive movement of the centrally held DSG reserves with individual schools balances decreasing by £0.495m.

The report also provided updates on the latest funding situation for the current financial year, 2019/20, outlined the range of current pressures resulting from the ongoing “real terms” funding constraints and the most recent details on the National Funding formula (NFF).

Information was also provided on the potential impacts on funding arrangements over the next few years from the current planned transition to a “hard” national funding formula (NFF) which would now take place in April 2021. This included the measures taken by the authority, in conjunction with the Schools Forum, head teachers and Camden Learning to support schools through this transition and to help schools prepare for potential reductions in real terms funding.

The following points were discussed during consideration of the report: 

·         That the closure of St Aloysius’s was currently subject to public consultation and that a decision about the school’s closure would take place in July 2019

·         That the Forum wanted to register concern that the Abacus School proposals would affect the funding stream of good and outstanding local schools in Camden

·         School balances were not excessive and were increasingly used to counteract funding pressures as well as funding capital projects

·         What provision was there to provide information to overspending schools on their financial forecast and support them in managing their finances? 

·         At what point would a school with significant overspend be considered bankrupt?  There would be damage to the provision of education as funding reduced year on year. What happens when schools will have to operate on a deficit?            

The Forum was informed that in addition to information from the authority, Department for Education advisers would be contacting primary and secondary schools with a view to them participating in approaches to managing reduced budgets.     

RESOLVED 

a) THAT the 2018/19 outturn all the blocks of the DSG as set out in section 1 of the report be noted; 

b) THAT the current 2019/20 level of funding (section 2) and the range of current pressures and future funding challenges regarding schools’ funding (section 3) and also the next proposed steps in the transition towards the national funding formula in section 4 be noted;

c) THAT the ongoing support that would assist schools in improving financial planning as described in section 6.4 of the report  be noted; 

d) THAT it be agreed that any reserve remaining in the Central Schools Services block be applied to offset any schools block deficit arising from pressures on Camden schools budgets following any proposed reorganisation.  

To Note: All

Action By:  Director of Education

Report of the Director of Property Management

This report is a confidential update on the progress of the provision of mechanical and electrical services to schools and children’s centres by the in - house Schools Facilities Management Team (Camden FM) in the first year of the service provision. 

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Property Management that provided an update on the schools facilities management in house provision. 

The report summarised the progress on the provision of mechanical and electrical services to schools and children’s centres in the first year of the new service. This included ongoing consultation with schools and changes to the service in response to those consultations. Through training and development of staff, some work was now being carried out in-house instead of external contractors. The savings achieved across the service would be shared across the schools that had contracted the service.   

Retaining expertise within the borough had resulted in low costs to schools and creating apprenticeships had generated opportunities to develop Camden FM. 

There had been some changes to the number of schools that had contracted the service, with further interest from other schools about joining. 

Members of the Forum welcomed the report and expressed their satisfaction with the transformed service and improvements in the provision to schools. 

RESOLVED

THAT the report be noted and

i)             THAT the progress made in the first year on the provision of the repairs and maintenance service delivered by the in-house team by Camden FM, including its end of year financial position be noted

ii)            THAT the service development that had taken place in the second year of the service be noted

iii)           THAT the next report to the Schools Forum would also include customer satisfaction data.  

To Note: All

Action By: Director of Property Management

Report of the Director of Early Intervention and Prevention, Supporting People

Further to the report to Schools Forum in February 2019, this report updates the Forum on the High Needs Block position and offers a narrative in terms of the actions taken to address the overspend.

Whilst the position has improved, the projection remains that reserves will be exhausted and exceeded in financial year 2019/20.

The report presents a case for urgent and collective action to be taken to slow and reverse this trend to avoid potential harsh and stringent measures at a later point.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Early Intervention and Prevention, that further to the report in February 2019, provided an update on the High Needs Block position and information on the actions taken to address the overspend.  Whilst the position had improved, the projection remained that reserves would be exhausted and exceeded by the end of this financial year. The report presented a case for urgent and collective action to be taken to slow and reverse this trend and to avoid potential harsh and stringent measures at a later point. This included managing spend more effectively, reducing out of borough placements and more focus on local provision.       

The first meeting of the High Needs Block Working Party had been a wide ranging and detailed discussion that had included developing SEND teaching in Camden local schools. The second meeting of the working group had been scheduled.  

The following points were raised and discussed during consideration of the report:

·         That there had been a recent downward trend in the number of students being placed in specialist provision

·         Was enough support being given to teachers to meet the range of SEND needs in their classrooms?

·         That since 2014 there had been an increase in the additional time spent in education and Post 19 provision and this had included supported internships/employment

·         Was the funding plan proposed in the report enough to address the funding issues that had been highlighted?       

Members of the Forum asked for further information to be provided on the costs of tribunals and their associated court costs.

Action By: Director of Education

In response the Forum was told that 0.5% - approximately  £500k from any residual DSG reserves, that were available for “the next 2 years” and “from April 2020” (i.e. 2020/21 and 2021/22) would contribute enough to slow down and address some of the High Needs Block funding issues.   

RESOLVED

1. THAT the report be noted

2. THAT the Schools Forum agreed in principle the contribution of 0.5% of the schools block for the next two years

3. THAT the Schools Forum would review this decision, after the two years and a full consultation exercise.

To Note: All

Action By: Director of Early Intervention and Prevention

To note that the next meeting would take place at 6pm on Tuesday 17^th September 2019 and the following dates for 2019 /20.   

Tuesday 29^th October 2019

Tuesday 3^rd December 2019

Tuesday 4^th February 2020

Tuesday 9^th June 2020

It was noted that that the next meeting would take place at 6pm on Tuesday 17^th September 2019 and the following schedule of dates for 2019 /20 was also noted: 

Tuesday 29^th October 2019

Tuesday 3^rd December 2019

Tuesday 4^th February 2020

Tuesday 9^th June 2020

All meetings would take place at 6pm at the Crowndale Centre, Eversholt Street London NW1 1BD.

To Note: All

There was no urgent business.