Thursday 13th July2017
2:00 - 4:00 pm
Committee Room C, Council House Extension, Margaret Street
Present: / Fran Stevens Birmingham Governors’ NetworkChairColin Graham Birmingham Governors’ Network
Mary BrowningBirminghamGovernors’ Network
Richard Green Primary Forum
Yvonne Willis Primary Forum
Debbie James Secondary Forum
Fiona Wallace PRU Representative City of Birmingham School
Steve Hughes Academies Representative (Special)
Jane Gotschel Academies Representative
Nikki Hutchison Academies Representative (Alternative Provision)
Catriona Savage PVI representative
Sara Reece PVI Representative
David Room NUT/Teacher Associations
Valerie Daniel Maintained Nursery HT
Tim Boyes BEP
Anil Nayyar BCC
Martyn Scott BCC
Colin Diamond BCC
Emma Leaman BCC
Lindsey Trivett BCC
Cllr Brigid Jones BCC
Julie Young BCC (joined the meeting at 2.30)
Phillipa Downes Baverstock representative.
In attendance: Janice Moorhouse (clerk)
1. / Welcome and apologies for absence / Action
1.1
1.2
1.3 / The Chair welcomed members, Phillipa Downes (Baverstock representative)and Officers to the meeting.
Apologies for absence were received fromAdam Hardy (BDES), Mike White Academies Representative, Elaine Dupree Maintained Nursery HT, Cllr Barry Bowles BCC,Maxine Charles Primary Forum and Liz Garnham Birmingham Governors’ Network.
Absent: Anna Balson Primary Academy Representative,Nicola Walters Secondary Academy Representative, John Ritson Birmingham Governors’ Network,Rosemary Adams Special Schools Representativeand Gilda Richards Support Staff Union representative
The Chair proposed an item be added to the agenda: ‘Surplus Balances – Schools Forum roles and responsibilities.’
Tim Boyes requested an item of other business be added to the agenda: ‘Update on BEP.’
2. / Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 11th May 2017
2.1
2.2 / Item 6.2: ‘reduce alliance on independent sector and placements out of Birmingham’ to be amended to read ‘reduce reliance on independent sector and placements out of Birmingham.’
With the amendment as above, the minutes were agreed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
3. / Matters arising from the minutes
3.1 / No matters arising
4. / LA update
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4 / Colin Diamond reported an approximate 7% improvement in SATs results. A slight closure in relation to national figures.
ACTION: a detailed analysis of how schools are performing to be presented.
Colin Diamond thanked Emma Leaman for her achievements with BCC.
Handovers had been completed. Details in Schools Noticeboard.
Catriona Savage (vice chair EY Forum) stated Emma had been a fantastic advocate for EY.
Emma Leaman reported there was some concern regarding the continued support from her replacement to EY.
Colin Diamond commented that the expectations of the sector were very high.
Birmingham Governors’ Network/ CoEd Foundation conference Saturday 8th July: ‘Towards the Compassionate School’. An excellent conference with positive evaluations.
200 Birmingham schools had embarked on the rights respecting agenda.
David Room commented on concerns related to funding and the effects on all sectors of education. MPs had raised questions related to the funding crisis inParliament.
Members to note that Schools Forum was influential. / LA
5. / Nursery School Rates
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8 / The Chair reported an error had been made on Nursery School funding with the result of insufficient
funding going to nursey schools.
The Chair had met with Emma Leaman and Martyn Scott. The Chair stated the meeting had been
open and transparent and it was clear to her how the error had been made.
Report: nursery funding rates 2017/18 circulated before the meeting.
Recommendation: School Forum to note and support the proposal in order that a disapplication
request can be made to the DfE seeking approval to apply the new Protection Allocation
methodology.
Context of the report:
Central government allocated protection funding of £4.562m to Birmingham Nursery schools.
The model developed in consultation with Headteaches and Schools Forum and approved by Cabinet allocated the protection funding through an hourly rate model.
Key issues and unintended consequences of the approved model had emerged during school budget setting processes and it had been necessary to review and revise the funding formula to ensure there was no risk of overspend on the DSG while ensuring the full level of protection funding was allocated appropriately to the 27 maintained Nursery Schools.
Funding Rates Proposal:
The LA Task and Finish Group recognised that the only secure way to ensure that the protection funding was allocated in full, with no risk of overspend or underspend, was to allocate through a Protection Allocation model rather than an hourly rate. This was because an hourly rate model relied on a fixed number of pupils to ensure full allocation when in fact numbers in early years were difficult to predict, and exceptionally so in 17/19 with changes to full time place provision.
Proposed: A Protection Allocation model consisting of two key elements, with a small contingency for 17/18 to support schools impacted by late reductions to budgets already set.
Principles of the model:
•Protection allocations must be allocated in full to the 27 nursery schools.
•The protection allocation will be formulated to minimise turbulence to existing budgets given that changes are being made part-way through the financial year.
•The protection allocation to recognise the increased overheads involved in running small schools.
•The protection allocation to take into account the size of the setting, based on percentage of the nursery school population served by the school across three terms’ headcount.
•A level of contingency funding allocated to support GBs facing likely shortfall on the EEE income that they had assumed within their budget setting process. Any unspent contingency will be redistributed across the 27 schools.
Allocation model:
- Fixed sum per school recognising the overheads associated with Nursery School provision.
- Allocation proportional to the numbers of children served by the individual school,
- Contingency sum of £135,000 held back to support schools that face a budget shortfall
Any remaining contingency to be redistributed as a fixed and equal sum across all 27 schools, i.e. will be returned as part of the fixed sum
The funding methodology to be reviewed annually.
An agreement to deliver an annual cycle of work with Nursery Head Teachers, BCC Early Years, Fair Funding, School Financial Services, Audit and School and Governor Support to review all budget setting, advice, monitoring and auditing to ensure a better shared understanding of the complexities of Nursery School funding and provide an opportunity for different models of collaboration to be supported through alternative ways of allocating protection funding in order to secure long-term sustainability across the sector.
Members agreed unanimously with the recommendation of the report and that a disapplication
approval request could be made to the DfE for the change in the nursery school rate and protection funding methodology
6. / Early Years Health and Well Being contract
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7 / Pip Mayo reported Cabinet report April 2017, contract award to bring together services currently delivered by 76 different contractors approved, lead provider Birmingham Community Healthcare Foundation Trust(BCHC). Change in response to significant LA financial pressure.
Two significant tenders received following work with stakeholders/partners on the service offer to procure a new lead organisation. Delays due to mayoral and general elections.
BCHC key strategic partners: Barnado's, Spurgeons Children’s Charity (Spurgeons), St Paul’s Community Development Trust and The Springfield Project.
Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust to continue to provide the health visiting service and include other organisations to deliver a Children’s Centre offer.
Pip Mayo reported the LA retaining significant duties. LA to consult on potential changes and ensure a quality Children’s Centre offer.
A 60 day consultation opened on 19th June. The consultation to run to 17th August. Consulting on reducing the number of Children’s Centre outlets by 26 and embedding into communities. To be certain there was a sufficient Children’s Centre offer in the City.
Pip Mayo stated there would be changes to contracts and changes to delivery sites.
Staff in EY settings had a right to TUPE as part of the offer.
Valerie Daniel stated that those who would be adversely affected had not been given due consideration. It was unclear as to why certain centres had been chosen. Parents being consulted had no idea of the impact on their families. Nursery Schools rates had been cut and Children’s Centre funding lost. Nursery Schools were in danger of closing.
The Chair commented that the information from Pip Mayo was new to many of the members and there was no supporting paperwork. It was not clear what was required from School Forum and Schools Forum role in relation to the contract.
Pip Mayo stated her objective had been to provide an update, inform members that the public consultation was open and available on BeHeard.
Catriona Savage reported a detailed report/update had been presented by Pip Mayo at EY Forum.
Anil Nayyar reported the contract was not funded from top slice DSG and was, therefore, not a School forum decision.
Cllr Jones stated the total amount of money was fixed, the award of the contract was completed, the future proposals in the consultation related to locations, opening times etc.
Pip Mayo reported the first session for stakeholders was on Friday 14th July.
Discussions to be held with existing contract holders over the next three months.
Work with unions on process and timetable for staff consultation. The consultation with term time only staff would not start in the holiday period.
David Room stated meetings had not taken place with some unions and queried how meaningful the consultation would be as it was taking place when centres were closed. David Room suggested extending the consultation period.
Pip Mayo stated the need to ensure a sufficient voice to form a report to take to Cabinet in September. The number of responses would be monitored and any concerns on engagement discussed with the leadershipteam and Cllr Jones.
The Chair asked if a paper could be prepared for the next Schools Forum meeting and what was expected from Schools Forum.
7. / Any other business
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6 /
- Surplus balances
Anil Nayyar stated the Fair Funding Scheme did not allow for clawback. A change to the Scheme would have to be proposed by the LA and the Chair said a strategy or a policy would be needed to do so.
If Schools Forum decided to amend the Fair Funding scheme to allow the LA to clawback the money would be put into the DSG and re-distributed across all schools including academies. 150 schools had converted to academies and some academies were holding surplus balances. The findings of the recent LA audit had been reported to Schools Forum and found legitimate reasons for surplus balances.
Colin Diamond reported an approximate figure of £40m in balances across a small group of maintained schools without realistic plans to use the funding on a capital project.
Richard Green commented that the Fair Funding Scheme would be changed only if asked for by the LA at a strategic level. There was a need to look at those schools with a surplus and those in need of funding for a specific purpose such as to avoid closure.
Anil Nayyar stated the Fair Funding Scheme set out the parameters of the reasons for schools to be allowed to hold back funding. If Schools Forum wished to change those exemptions, it could do so.
Debbie James asked if there were schools holding back more than they should and, if so, was it in Schools Forum’s remit to change this.
Catriona Savage asked if there was a list of schools with a carry forward balance that was without a hope of being spent.
Anil Nayyar reported the LA had details of the balances but not the details of the use of the balance.
Emma Leaman stated the need for a cohesive piece of work with the LA and Schools Forum involving the identification of priorities and the best use of money while being sensitive to individual needs.
Debbie James stated money should be spent on pupils. If this was not happening, there were issues related to governorship and leadership. It was in the power of the LA to address these issues. It was not productive to go down a clawback route.
Debbie James suggested the LA review and to come back to Schools Forum with a strategic view/position in relation to surplus balances.
Fiona Wallace stated the LA audit report recommended school balances be brought to Schools Forum each year.
Valerie Daniel commented on the need to be mindful of what was said outside Schools Forum meetings. Schools were not to be given the impression that Schools Forum was ineffective.
- Birmingham Education Partnership
An agenda item for 2018: one terms funding for BEP.
BEP to publish an annual report, to work with a smaller staff, to work with consortia and networks and to re-engage with HTs in conversations about what they want the BEP to be
- Future meeting dates
ACTION: a list of revised dates to be circulated / LA/
clerk
8. / Date of next meeting
8.1 / Thursday 28th September 2-4pm Pre-meeting 1pm
Members agreed: Fran Stevens to chair the meeting.
The meeting closed at 3.40pm.
Schools ForumJuly ‘17 Page 1 of 6