To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Schools’ Forum held on the 18th January 2018

Mr Gale requested that the last line of item 4 ii be removed as it was inaccurate.

The remaining minutes of the meeting of the Schools’ Forum held on 18 January 2018 were confirmed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

Action 1

Notifications to be sent out to schools seeking representation for membership of the Schools’ Forum for the vacancies in maintained primary schools and secondary academies – GC/CS

Gill Curtis confirmed the action had been completed and as a result Alison Chambers and Fiona Wilce had been voted in as members of the Schools’ Forum.

Action 2

Mr Stuart Williams to draft a proposal to be sent round to the academy sector regarding length of office of the Schools’ Forum

It was confirmed that this item would be discussed at the next Headteachers’ and LA Partnership meeting instead.

Action 3

Ms Greaves to circulate the figures on the school funding formula

Dawn Greaves confirmed that the figures had been circulated.

Action 4

Alternative Use of High Needs Funding

Mr Quinn to do further work on the proposal

Mr Quinn to earmark £50K funds in 2018/19

Mr Cox and Mr Quinn to discuss moving forward with identifying potential case studies

Gill Curtis confirmed that Kevin Quinn was doing further work on the proposal and that £50k had been earmarked for 2018/19.

Steve Cox confirmed that a working group (SEND Early Support Fund - Implementation Group) had been established.  The first meeting would be held on the 26 March and Mr Cox would feedback to this group at the next meeting.

ACTION:

1.    Steve Cox to feedback to the group from the SEND Early Support Fund – Implementation Group.  Item to be added to the next AGENDA

Action 5

Schools Forum Schedule Forward Plan to be included in future Agendas as a standing item

Carl Smith confirmed this was now a standing item on future agendas.

Action 6

Mrs Snodin to attach a copy of the January Education Bulletin article with the outgoing minutes

Gill Curtis that the relevant paragraph from the January Education Bulletin had been distributed with the previous meeting’s minutes.

In accordance with the Regulations, Members are invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests in respect of items on this Agenda and/or indicate if Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

No declarations of interest were made. 

To receive any petitions, deputations and questions received from Members of the Public in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 217.

The total time allowed for this item shall be 30 minutes.  Petitions, declarations and questions shall be dealt with in the order in which they are received.  Questions may also be submitted at short notice by giving a written copy to the Committee Administrator 15 minutes before the start of the meeting.

The total time allowed for questions at short notice is 15 minutes out of the total time of 30 minutes.  Any petitions, deputations and questions that have been submitted with prior formal notice will take precedence over questions submitted at short notice.  Any questions that are not considered within the time limit shall receive a written response after the meeting and be the subject of a report to the next meeting.

No petitions, deputations or questions had been received.

A report was presented by Dawn Greaves updating the Schools’ Forum on the latest forecast for the Schools’ Budget for 2017/18.  During discussion the following points were noted:

1. Exton & Greetham CofE Primary School was now an academy as part of The Rutland Learning Trust.
2. The claw back of the deficit funding will be carried out over 7 years.
3. Overspend on High Needs has fallen since January 2018.
4. There was no plan to request money from schools in 2018/19.  Schools would be notified of any extra payment in 2020.
5. Most Local Authorities were reporting an over-spend in High Needs.  The DfE were aware of the situation.
6. Dr O’Neill would attend the East Midlands’ Directors of Children’s Services meeting on the 16 March.  If there was any urgent information resulting from this meeting he would notify attendees by email.  If not, he would brief attendees at the next meeting.  AGENDA

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Dr T O’Neill left the meeting at 4.17pm and returned at 4.20pm

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The Chair requested that Item 4c be left for discussion until Sharon Milner joined the meeting.

A verbal update was received from Gill Curtis.  During discussion the following points were noted:

      i.        The Local Authority had been successful in their Delivery Support Fund bid to the Department for Education.  This was funding for local authorities to support the delivery of 30 hours free childcare for working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds and amounted to £25,000 for Rutland. 

    ii.        Planning for implementation had already started and would centre on two key projects:

a)    Project A would support the re-establishment of early education and childcare within Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore with the potential for developing a local hub for sharing and embedding Rutland expertise (£10,000). 

b)    Project B would focus on working with Rutland providers to develop a greater proportion of 51 weeks per year provision and create more year-round 30 Hour Extended Entitlement places (£15,000)

   iii.        We have until August to complete the work in preparation for September 2018.

To receive an update from Ms Dawn Greaves: INFORMATION ONLY

Dawn Greaves reported that this item would be discussed under Agenda Item 4c.

To receive an update from Ms Gill Curtis: INFORMATION ONLY

Gill Curtis updated attendees on the recent voting process.  During discussion the following points were noted:

1. Two nominations had been received for each vacancy – Academies and Non-Academy Primary.
2. Voting letters had been sent out – one to the Academies to vote for the academy representative and one to the maintained schools to vote for the non-academy representative.
3. The two successful candidates were Mrs Alison Chambers (Academies) and Mrs Fiona Wilce (Non-Academy Primary).
4. The two unsuccessful candidates had been asked to stand as deputies for their relevant Schools’ Forum sector
5. An induction meeting with Carl Smith and Gill Curtis would be held at 11.00 a.m. on the 29^th March 2018 at Casterton College Rutland.
6. It was agreed that the two ‘deputies’ and Dawn Greaves should also attend the induction meeting.
7. Terms of Office for the Schools’ Forum was determined by the Local Authority and this was currently 3 years.  The matter would be discussed at the next Headteachers’ and LA Partnership meeting.
8. It was AGREED that terms of office would need to be staggered due the small membership numbers involved for Rutland.
9. It was AGREED that ‘deputies’ would need to be identified to attend meetings when members were unable to.

ACTION:

1.    Gill Curtis / Carl Smith to invite the two ‘deputies’ to the induction meeting on the 29^th March 2018.

To receive an update from representatives of the SEND Strategic Group: INFORMATION ONLY

Gill Curtis informed attendees that Kevin Quinn had reported that there were no new updates on the recent voting process.  During discussion the following points were noted:

1. Money was currently being spent on transporting SEND children to suitable educational venues located outside of the area.  However, funding was now available for a capital project for the location of a SEND educational venue within the local authority area.

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Mr T O’Neill left the meeting at 4.40pm and returned at 4.50pm

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None

Thursday, 28 June 2018

4.00pm – 5.00pm in the Council Chamber, RCC, Catmose

Attendees went through the School’s Forum Forward Plan and it was updated accordingly (copy attached).

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Mr J Woodhead left the meeting at 4.55pm

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To receive Early Years Funding Information from Sharon Milner

Mary Darlington presented the report received from Sharon Milner.  During discussion the following points were noted:

1. There was a decrease in the number of children for 2018-19
2. If the numbers continued to drop could this result in the funding base rate dropping to below £4.25?
3. If yes, this would put nurseries in a very difficult financial position and could result in further places closing.  Two venues have already closed this year.
4. Gill Curtis and Dawn Greaves confirmed that the local authority was looking at ways of decreasing expenditure and sharing costs.
5. It was AGREED that the funding base rate for 2018-19 would be £4.25

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 28 June 2018, at 4.00 pm at RCC, in the Council Chamber.

RCC/Schools’ Forum website

http://rutlandcounty.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=342

SUMMARY OF ACTIONS