Name

Organisation

1.     

Bob Gale

Trade Union Representative

2.     

Carl Smith

Principal, Casterton College, Rutland

3.     

Jan Turner

Principal, Uppingham Community College

4.     

John Woodhead

LA appointed Diocese rep

5.     

Mark Fowler

Head of Service Learning & Skills, People Directorate, RCC

6.     

Mary Darlington

LA appointed EY PVI

7.     

Sharon Milner

Executive Headteacher, Brooke Hill Academy

8.     

Cllr David Wilby

Portfolio Holder for Lifelong Learning

9.     

Steve Cox

Head teacher, Oakham CofE Primary

10.  

Bob Shore

Adult Learning Manager, RCC

11.  

Stuart Williams

Principal, Catmose College

12.  

Dawn Greaves

Accountant ,RCC

13.  

Tim O’Neill

Director for People, RCC

14.  

Rachel Hynds

Corporate Support Officer (minutes)

15.  

Peter Rule (Rep Anne Rawlins)

Governor Empingham and Gt Casterton Primary Schools

16.  

Dyl Powell

Principal, Harington School

Name

Organisation

17.  

Ali Chambers

Head of School, English Martyrs Catholic Voluntary Academy

18.  

Megan Davies

Head Teacher Exton and Greetham Primary

19.  

Sarah Hearth

Governor Catmose Primary

1.1

Jan welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2.1

Mary Darlington expressed a Declaration of Interest for Item 8. Sharon Milner expressed a Declaration of Interest for Item 10.

3.1

Bob Gale referred to his request to change the previous minutes via an email which had been sent to the Clerk. This was a query on the draft version of the Constitution which was passed on to Mark Fowler and had been corrected. 

MF

4.1

Jan Turner was proposed and seconded for remaining as Chairperson and Sharon Milner for Vice Chairperson.

5.1

Dawn Greaves gave a brief update.

    i.        There has been a slight change of funding since last September.

  ii.        The forecast does not include the £552,000 that is the underspend.

 iii.        The high needs element is facing a slight overspend.

 iv.        Early Years funding seems sufficient, but this depends on costs in the final term.

  v.        DofE has changed the funds for 2 year olds.

 vi.        The funding will become amalgamated and two year olds will come under the same funding as early years.

6.1

Dawn Greaves gave a brief update.

     i.        The DfE has no plans for funding change for 2017/18.

    ii.        Rutland received extra funding last year, as the County the  amongst the least favourably funded authority in previous years. 

  iii.        The plan is to retain the principles of the 2013/14 formula for 2016/17, i.e., maintain the primary: secondary ratio at 1:1.26. 

  iv.        Potentially members may want to keep a contingency.

7.1

Edith Weston Community Primary School

Sharon Milner explained the need for extra funding for Edith Weston which has a large service contingent.

    i.        The numbers of pupils change due to army movements. 

  ii.        An MOD grant has been applied for the funds will be used  directly with  services children.

 iii.        Edith Weston is struggling to cope financially. 

 iv.        The School is currently facing a deficit budget.

  v.        Edith Weston Primary will become an academy in January 2016.

 vi.        Education provision in Germany is different to the UK and problems arise, e.g., obtaining paperwork; children with special needs are not always identified.

Sharon Milner asked for £80,000 as this equates to the shortfall.

7.2

Brooke Hill Academy

Sharon Milner explained to members the need for extra funding.  Large numbers of families moving into the new housing developments has led to a large increase in pupil numbers. 

SM requested £98,000.

Some questions from the members were put to SM, and a discussion followed.

It was recognised that many schools might be in a similar situation and have to wait for the following years’ funding. If an exception were made, this would have to apply equally to all schools. 

It was noted that a mobility factor designed to deal with variation in pupil numbers is already included in the formula.  This factor is:

• decided by DfE using local data;
• expressed as an additional percentage figure;
• specific to each school; and is based on its pupil numbers’ history. 

SM expressed the view that the uplift in numbers from the military has to be addressed immediately.

Financial support from the military has been £110,000.   As the numbers of service children dropped this support has helped the school avoid redundancies. The school has applied for further support. 

It was noted that the Schools’ Forum had previously decided not to create a contingency within the budget. 

SM left the meeting.

A discussion followed.

• The Forum may prefer to have a contingency in order to avoid future problems. 
• It was noted that once the  underspend has been used, no further funding would be available.
• It is not possible to change the formula for the current year.
• It was noted that a methodology had been devised when Cottesmore faced similar challenges. 

The DECISION concerning the use of the 2014/5 underspend would comprise two elements:

1.  Schools affected by military movements would be invited to submit a bid to Schools’ Forum for funding. The application should include funding figures received by MOD.  The formula used for Cottesmore previously would be used for this element.  (See footnote.)

2.  The remaining sums from the underspend would then be distributed to all schools based on the 2016/17 funding formula.  The Council would do its best to complete this so that the distribution to all schools would take place in January 2016. 

SM returned to the meeting

DECISION

8.1

Mark Fowler asked the members to note that the matter of the £550,000 underspend had been raised at previous meetings, but the Forum  had  not been quorate.

9.1

Mark Fowler gave a brief update. The previous Schools’ Forum fund had agreed a fund for school improvement within the budget: 50% from the schools and 50% from the Local Authority .

It was suggested that a sub group of the Schools’ Forum could be set up with a view to make decisions regarding the use of the budget.

Members of the sub group could be-

1.    Head of Learning & Skills

2.    Head of Rutland Teaching Alliance( key agency working with the LA)

3.    Voting member of the Schools Forum, either one from a secondary school or one from a primary school.

All decisions should be recorded for scrutiny by the Council and the Schools’ Forum.

Report back to the Education Performance Board and Cabinet at least twice a year.

A  verbal summary to go to the schools Forum and a written report to be presented yearly

All were in agreement.

DECISION

10.1

MD paper was distributed before the meeting for everyone to read, explaining the need for extra funding. It was agreed that MD could stay in the meeting.

A discussion and questions followed.

The early years hourly rate in Northampton is the same as in Rutland.

The fund would come out of the 2016/17 schools block..

DG explained what the hour would equate to.

£4.20= £1.23,000 extra

£4.50= £88,000 extra

£4.60 =£117,000 extra

£4.80 = £160, 000 extra

MD expressed that her ideal amount would be £4.75 and this would then be on par with 2 years old fund.

It was agreed that the rate should be raised to £4.60. 

DECISION

There was no other business.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 21^st January 2016 4.00 – 5.00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Catmose at RCC.

Thursday  9 June 2016

Thursday 22 September 2016