Issue - meetings

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of 21 November 2019.

The Forum noted an amendment to minute 121 of the Forum held on 21 November 2019 as follows:

“RESOLVED

…

2. to AGREE:

i. the budget changes for 2020-21, as summarised in Table 4, with particular consideration given to:

a. the impact of changes in funding to the CSSB; and

b. that the Minimum Funding Guarantee is set at the maximum amount of +1.84%;

ii. on-going central retention by the Council of Central School Services funding for the areas and amounts set out in Annex 4;

iii. the updated criteria for allocating funds to schools experiencing significant in year increases in pupil numbers be implemented from the October 2019 census (Annex 5); and

iv. that options be developed for the December meeting to consider whether amendments should be made to the distribution of funds to schools in order for 1 FE schools to receive increases close to the overall average increase in

per pupil funding.

3 To DEFER a decision on the following to the next meeting:

a. the revised medium-term funding strategy for meeting the additional cost arising from the Growth Fund (Annex 3);

b. the elements of the 2020-21 Growth Fund (Table 3);

c the updated text for the Funding Policy for New and Expanded

Schools (Annex 1);”

RESOLVED that the amended minutes of the meeting of the Forum held on 21 November 2019 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Arising from minute 117 Chris Taylor had prepared the latest projections of forecast pupil numbers and available places which was included on the agenda.

Arising from minute 119 Derek Morgan would ensure that any confidential papers could be accessed by all members before meetings.

Also arising from minute 119 Cherry Hall had prepared final figures for the additional funding for early years for 2020-21 which was included on the agenda.

Arising from minute 121 Paul Clark had checked the legal status of whether the Forum would be statutorily tied to previous decisions made in relation to financing and associated budget for the Growth Fund, and this was detailed in the background papers relating to Item 7 of the agenda.

Arising from minute 122 Joanna Gibbons confirmed that the Council Chamber was booked for all forthcoming meetings apart from the meeting to be held on 16 January 2019.