Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that George Clement be elected Chairman of the Schools Forum for the academic year 2012/13.

GEORGE CLEMENT IN THE CHAIR

RESOLVED that John Throssell be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Schools Forum for the academic year 2012/13.

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest, in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting. Any Member with a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in a matter should withdraw from the meeting when the matter is under consideration and should notify the Democratic Services Officer in attendance that they are withdrawing as they have such an interest. If the Disclosable Pecuniary Interest is not entered on the register of Members interests the Monitoring Officer must be notified of the interest within 28 days.

Louise Lovegrove declared an interest in respect of Item 8 in relation to Cranbourne Primary School as a governor at the school.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of 19 July 2012.

New members of the Schools Forum were welcomed at the meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2012 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to the following amendments:

• Minute Item 5, page 4: The Forum would need to make final decisions on changes at its meeting on 18 October to ensure the DfE could be informed of the composition of the 2013-14 BF Funding Formula by the 31 October deadline.
• Minute Item 5, page 4: Evening briefings for governors had been arranged for 11 and 12 September, and not 21 and 22 September.
• Minutes Item 5, page 4: RESOLVED rather then RESOVLED.

The Forum received a report which advised members of changes to the Schools Forum Constitution following the publication by the Secretary of State School funding reform: next steps towards a fairer system on 26 March 2012.

The Forum noted the revised Schools Forum Constitution incorporating these changes which were expected to be confirmed in October 2012. The necessary steps would be taken to appoint a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) representative once the new regulations came into force.

The Forum received a report which updated members of the Schools Forum on the new duty to provide substantially more free education and child care places for two year olds with the funding of places and associated support services being added to the Dedicated Schools Grant.

From September 2013, the 20% most disadvantaged 2 year olds should have an early education place, with this figure rising to 40% from September 2014. Provision could also cover looked after children and other needy families at local discretion.

The development of two year old places would grow substantially over the next two years, with an expected increase in Bracknell Forest from 60 to 300 places at September 2013, and 300 to 600 places from September 2014.

Local authorities would be required to fund early years providers of free early education for two year olds through an early years single funding formula (EYSFF) for two year olds, just as local authorities currently had an EYSFF for three and four year olds. This requirement would start from 1 April 2013.

RESOLVED that the Schools Forum:

1. NOTED that the changes around participation rates, support for providers and funding arrangements for early education for 2 year olds;

2. AGREED that the draft work programme and timetable (paragraph 5.18 and Annex A);

3. NOTED that in respect of the new arrangements for 2 year olds, the Schools Forum will be required in the new year to agree:

The Forum received a report which updated members of the Schools Forum on the 2012-13 forecast budget monitoring position for the Schools Budget as at the end of July and for members to agree an extension of one year to the licensed deficit agreement at Cranbourne Primary, with the £0.050 million deficit being fully repaid by 31 March 2014.

Provisional budget monitoring information available at the end of July indicated that the Schools Budget would be under spent by £0.221 million this year. This forecast variance comprised of an over spend of £0.284 million against approved budget allocations, additional income of £0.337 million against the original estimate made for Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) income and a further £0.168 million additional income as a result of the 2011-12 under spend being greater than the amount anticipated when the budget was agreed in March.

Cranbourne Primary was the only school in deficit by £0.029 million at the end of the 2011-12 financial year and the school had an agreed £0.050 million licensed deficit. This had been reduced by £0.023 million during the last year, but the governing body had requested that the repayment schedule be extended by a further year to 31 March 2014. A medium term budget plan was in place that governors were committed to deliver to which showed a return to surplus by 31 March 2014. As the Forum was not quorate at the last meeting, no decision could be taken. If agreed Cranbourne would have been in deficit for five years, which was the maximum allowed under the Scheme for Financing Schools.

RESOLVED that the Schools Forum:

1. NOTED the budget variances being forecast on the 2012-13 Schools Budget that in total aggregate to a net under spending of £0.221m (paragraph 5.3);

2. AGREED the repayment term for the £0.050m licensed deficit previously agreed for Cranbourne Primary School be extended by one year, for full repayment to be made by 31 March 2014 (paragraph 5.6).

The next meeting of the Schools Forum is scheduled for Thursday 18 October 2012 at 4.30pm in the Council Chamber at Easthampstead House.

The Forum noted that the next meeting was scheduled for Thursday 18 October 2012 at 4.30pm in the Council Chamber at Easthampstead House but meetings would be cancelled if there was no business to discuss.