Agenda item

Jenny Lawrence informed Schools’ Forum that the report had been considered at the last meeting where there had been issues raised over ambiguity within the policy and its financial impact, hence the resubmission to Forum.

 

Jenny explained there were 2 elements to the policy:

 

·         Delegated budget – funding newly opening schools from September to March - the Local Authority has no discretion over the time lag within that funding.  The LA has no additional funding for this but regulations require this to be provided.

·         Expansion of primary places need.  Growth LA needs to fulfil its supply of school places would cost £21M – the Local Authority must fund statutory £17.5M of that, if not funded, EFA are able to take the Dedicated Schools Grant off the LA if agreement is not reached on a growth funding mechanism.

 

Jenny outlined the policy itself was unchanged and would continue to be reviewed.  The current High Needs overspend was depleting the DSG reserve. 

 

Jenny reported that the new Braunstone primary school would open in September 2016 and the new school in Birstall the following year, therefore a policy needs to be in place as a matter of urgency.

 

There was a lengthy debate from secondary colleagues who largely felt unable to support the policy because of the proposed 1% reduction in school funding.  Jenny stated that the funding reductions in each year were presented for illustrative purposes only and would change subject to when developments started and the rate of house building.  The Local Authority was not currently proposing a reduction in school funding as a result of this policy.

 

Karen Allen reported it was unfortunate that more of the ‘real issues’ had not come through from the academy financial survey questionnaire.  She outlined that whilst academy schools were under no obligation to share their data, it would be useful to have information on their budgets, in order for Schools’ Forum to make fair and informed decisions, to see where schools are genuinely struggling and to get a reasonable understanding of the difficulties.

 

Jenny Lawrence commented that the Local Authority would be willing to work with schools to identify what information was required to pull that together.

 

Jenny confirmed that the growth in primary schools would inevitably feed into secondary schools.  This is about funding new places in the system.

 

David Atterbury reported primary numbers would reach a peak next year and would start to impact on secondary schools in 3-5 years time. The new schools referred to in the report are as a consequence of new housing and will be designated as Free Schools.

 

Jenny confirmed that Section 106 money met the capital costs of build, the policy on growth funding is purely to do with the revenue cost of commissioning the places. 

 

Jenny re-emphasised that the table in paragraph 22 was illustrative only, it is known how many new schools will be required based on current housing proposals but there remains uncertainty when these will be required (as they are subject to planning applications and build-out rates).

 

Karen Allen referred to letter from David Hedley who had raised concerns regarding the impact of the 1% cut to the AWPU rates for 2016/17, and had asked whether alternative options had been considered and whether representations had been made to the Government/Local Authority.

 

Jenny Lawrence responded that representations had been made to the Government in terms of a meeting between the Director of Children and Family Services and Nicky Morgan MP, where High Needs was the subject of discussion.

 

Mr Ould reported a meeting with Nicky Morgan on 18 December - if growth funding is not resolved, he is responsible to advise Cabinet accordingly.  The proposed model brings Leicestershire in line with other authorities.  If Forum is unable to resolve a problem like this what message will that send to the Government?  He raised concern that do not appear to be able to come to majority or consensus view. 

 

David Atterbury explained that there are two types of Free Schools, those established by the LA under the Free School Presumption process and those proposed independently by other organisations.

Free Schools are actually a type of academy.

 

The Chair asked the Schools’ Forum to take a vote on the principle to approve the policy with a review by the end of the summer term, with a working party to convene to look at the detail of the proposal for 2017/18.

 

12 voted in favour of the policy, 8 voted against and there were 2 abstentions.

 

Decision

Schools’ Forum agreed to adopt the policy on Funding School Growth.