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Councillors and committees

Agenda and minutes

Contact: Rosalyn Patterson - email:  rosalynpatterson@gateshead.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Elaine Pickering, Margaret Rich and Christina Jones.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 199 KB

The Forum is asked to approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on the 9 July 2020

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2020 were agreed as a correct record.

 

The Chair welcomed Andrew Fowler to the meeting, who will replace Matt Waterfield as Secondary Academy Representative.

3.

Early Years Underspend pdf icon PDF 623 KB

Gillian Dodds, Children Adults and Families and Carole Smith Resources and Digital

Minutes:

Schools Forum received a report for approval of the use of Early Years Block of the DSG reserves. The reserves will be used to enable early year providers to give enhanced transitional support to children following the lockdown period.

 

It was noted that the Forum approved this use via email previously and Forum was asked to officially ratify the decision.

 

RESOLVED    -           Schools Forum approved the proposal to provide a small

amount of additional funding to support enhanced transitional arrangements for early years children in the Autumn term.

4.

Early Years funding Autumn Term pdf icon PDF 241 KB

Gillian Dodds, Children Adults and Families and Carole Smith Resources and Digital

Minutes:

The Forum received a report on the proposed approach to the allocation of Early Years DSG.  The proposal follows guidance and will hopefully support all settings.

 

RESOLVED  - 

(i)

That Schools Forum approved the proposed approach to funding childcare providers in the Autumn Term 2020.

 

 

(ii)

That a further report be brought to the Forum outlining the financial implications of making further payment ‘uplifts’ later in the term when there is more certainty around the number of children and funding.

 

5.

School Funding Update pdf icon PDF 309 KB

Carole Smith, Resources and Digital

Minutes:

A report was presented on the funding announcements made by the DfE. A summary was provided which outlined that; school funding overall will increase by 4%, consultation on a move towards a hard National Funding Formula will commence later in the year and LA’s will still have the flexibility to transfer 0.5% of their schools block to other blocks.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum noted the information in the report and

that further information will be brought to Schools Forum when issued by the DfE.

6.

Mainstream Schools Funding pdf icon PDF 650 KB

Carole Smith, Resources and Digital

Minutes:

Forum received a report summarising the first meeting of the sub-group which is reviewing the mainstream school funding formula for 2021/22.

 

The sub-group proposed to continue with the funding principles of; an affordable equitable and transparent mainstream school funding formula, focused on mainstream school age range in preparation for a NFF.

 

The funding aims were outlined as;

·        Phased approach to fund the difference between Gateshead’s funding for secondary FSMe6 (£41 per pupil)

·        Modelling to ascertain impact on schools if NFF rate was used for mobility funding instead of Gateshead’s rate (difference of £600)

·        Current data and the NFF with MFG at 2% was unaffordable, therefore further modelling will be undertaken with different levels of MFG.

 

The estimated Growth Fund is £832,448 and would not meet secondary sector requirements so it was proposed that the Growth Funding Procedure be reviewed.

 

It was also noted that previously supply costs had been totally discounted during Covid, however from September this will become an issue which are likely to be expensive. The sub-group proposed that further work be carried out to ascertain the magnitude of the issue in Gateshead. Forum felt that this was a national issue that needed to be addressed as there is likely to be real problems ahead due to track and traced. A letter has been sent to MP’s from Headteachers and it was suggested that there is an opportunity for the Schools Forum to do something similar. It was confirmed that Budget Officers can identify which costs relate to Covid. It was also suggested that a meeting be requested by Headteachers with local MP’s once emerging costs are known and the restrictions and impact on the communities and the meeting should include representatives of the Schools Forum.

 

It was agreed that costs for maintained schools would be tracked and the headings provided to academies so information could be provided and collated for all schools.

 

RESOLVED  -

(i)

That Schools Forum approves;

·        The funding principles

·        The funding aims

·        Additional modelling

·        Review of the Growth Fund

 

 

(ii)

That Schools Forum notes;

·        The mandatory minimum per pupil amounts

·        The areas of possible funding pressures

·        The information in the appendices

 

 

(iii)

That further work be carried out to ascertain the additional supply costs for the autumn term.

 

7.

Dedicated Schools Grant Q1 pdf icon PDF 424 KB

Claire Reid, Resources and Digital

Minutes:

Forum received the quarter 1 projected outturn position of DSG for 2020/21, this was the position as at the end of June.

 

At the end of the quarter the projected year-end outturn was £104.931m compared to the budget of £105.674m, an underspend of £743,000. The underspend is from the Early Years and HNB.

 

The reserve balance is forecast to increase to £1.757m at the end of March 2021.

 

RESOLVED    -           That Schools Forum noted the content of the report.

8.

Growth Funding Allocations pdf icon PDF 281 KB

Carole Smith, Resources and Digital

Minutes:

A report was presented advising on the successful application for Growth Funding by Ravensworth Terrace Primary School.

 

The school has been growing since September 2016, this year there has been an additional 15 children from September 2020. Using the previously approved growth fund criteria this amounts to £24,998.75.

 

RESOLVED    -           That the Schools Forum noted that funding has been awarded

to Ravensworth Terrace Primary School for growth in pupil

numbers.

9.

Apply to Set a Deficit Budget pdf icon PDF 410 KB

Carole Smith, Resources and Digital

Minutes:

The Forum received the updated procedure for Schools to apply to set a deficit budget.

 

The new procedure has added additional guidance for schools and made distinction between past deficits and in year deficits with the aim to help schools set a balanced in year budget.

 

RESOLVED    -           That Schools Forum approved the draft Apply for a Deficit

Budget Procedure.

10.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

The next meeting of the sub-group was arranged for 12 October.

 

The Chair thanked all representatives on the sub-group for their work.

11.

Date of Next Meeting

12 November 2020

Minutes:

Any OthThe next meeting will be held on 12 November 2020 at 2pm.

 

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