A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Council and councillors

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Catmose, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6HP. View directions

Contact: Jane Narey  01572 758311

Items
No. Item

12.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Mrs J Gilboy and Mr R Gooding.

13.

MINUTES AND ACTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 301 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Schools’ Forum held on 13 February 2020.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Schools’ Forum held on the 13th February 2020 were confirmed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

 

Action 1

Andrew confirmed that the figures were based on December school pupil numbers and he would distribute the details to schools.  He also agreed to send each school details regarding the impact on their individual funding for moving 0.5% from schools block to the High Needs Block in 2020/21 and to show what the effects would be if the percentage increased to 1%.

Andrew confirmed that this action was still to be done as the lockdown situation had overtaken events.  Carl requested that the data be sent to schools by the end of June.

ACTION: Andrew Merry

 

Action 2

Andrew confirmed that every LA in the East Midlands would be producing a recovery plan.  It was agreed that Andrew would contact each LA for a breakdown regarding their spending of the High Needs Budget.

Andrew reported that he had contacted the other local authorities but had received no responses.  However, he would look at the published outturn reports presented at the other Schools’ Forums and send out the links for information.

ACTION: Andrew Merry

 

Action 3

It was agreed that Andrew would check to see what census figures the 2020/21 budgets were based on.

Andrew confirmed that the census figures used were from autumn 2019.

 

Action 4

The significant change in the mobility criteria was queried.  Andrew confirmed that the National Funding Formula was used to calculate the value, but he would check to confirm

Andrew confirmed that the National Funding Formula was used to calculate the value.

 

Action 5

Andrew to give an update regarding funding for new developments at the next meeting.

Andrew reported that any future building needs must be identified up front before the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding can be used to fund any works regarding school places.  However, the CIL was not a fixed amount and could be amended accordingly. 

 

14.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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.

 

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made. 

 

15.

PETITIONS, DEPUTATIONS AND QUESTIONS

To receive any petitions, deputations and questions received from members of the public in accordance with the Virtual Meetings Regulations (s1 2020 392) and the subsequent RCC Procedure Rules agreed at Council on 20 May 2020.

 

Section 3 (Public Participation) of the Procedure Rules states:

 

Members of the public will be able to participate in virtual meetings in the following ways:

 

i.    Public statements, questions, deputations and petitions can be submitted in advance of the meeting in writing by no later than 12 noon on the second working day before the meeting is to take place;

 

ii.    Public statementswill be made available to all members of the virtual meeting however members of the public will not be able to present their statements in the virtual meeting;

 

iii.    Public questions will receive a written response. No supplementary questions will be permitted;

 

Public petitions will be noted as being received by the Chair of the meeting without debate and sent to the relevant executive member, committee or council officer for a response.

 

 

Minutes:

None received.

16.

SCHOOLS FORUM OPERATIONAL AND GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE

Updated guide allowing schools forums to meet remotely until 31 March 2021 due to coronavirus (COVID 19)

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm ent_data/file/888371/Schools_forum_operational_and_good_practice_guide.pdf

(ITEM FOR INFORMATION)

(5 MINUTES for items 1,2,3,4)

Minutes:

i.          Attendees were informed that the guidance had been updated due to the current lockdown. As a result, the guidance now confirmed that Schools’ Forum meetings could be held virtually as from the 18th June 2020 to the 31st March 2021.

 

17.

FUNDING UPDATE pdf icon PDF 57 KB

To receive a report from Andrew Merry

(ITEM FOR INFORMATION)

(15 MINUTES)

Minutes:

A report was received from Andrew Merry. During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

i.            Overall deficit to be carried forward to 2020/21 was currently £268k (0.91%)

ii.          The High Needs budget had a reduction of £91k.  This was due to:

 

·              A high cost education placement that ended and was not replaced.

·              A fall in placement fee’s due to timescales for placements and children moving out of county.

·              SEND recovery projects being delayed due to lockdown.

 

iii.         The underspend of £19k on the schools’ block funding was not expected. The Council was currently investigating the reasons why and Andrew confirmed that he would notify members once that information was found. 

ACTION: Andrew Merry

iv.         There was a surplus on the Admissions Service of £15k, due to a staff vacancy.  This figure would be added to the brought forward position giving an overall surplus of £36k.

v.          The government had announced school funding for exceptional costs associated with Covid-19.   Full details can be found on the government’s website:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-schools/school-funding-exceptional-costs-associated-with-coronavirus-covid-19-for-the-period-march-to-july-2020

18.

DSG RECOVERY PLAN pdf icon PDF 66 KB

To receive a report from Andrew Merry and Kevin Quinn

(ITEM FOR INFORMATION)

(10 MINUTES)

Minutes:

A report was received from Andrew Merry and Kevin Quinn. During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

i.            Budget model would be updated to include some new factors including:

 

·       EHCP figures had risen.  37 new children would now be added to the 35 plans currently being done.

·       Cost savings incurred due to projects not starting because of lockdown

·       Additional funding provided to the High Needs Block

 

ii.          All primary schools are involved, and good feedback had been received with schools and staff all very positive.

iii.         The first meeting of the Education Inclusion Partnership had been cancelled due to Covid-19, but a new meeting was now scheduled for the 17th July 2020. 

iv.         Additional support had been commissioned, through training packages and the educational psychology service, to support the re-opening of schools and the transition of children back into school. 

v.          Commissioned SEND Consultancy have finished the first part of the review.  Report was due at the end of June.  Steve informed attendees that the consultants were very knowledgeable; that he had received good feedback and found the whole process very productive.

vi.         Changes had been made to the SEND Inclusion Fund so that children, who resided out of county but attended a Rutland early years’ setting, would be funded by Rutland.

 

AGREED:

a)    The Schools’ Forum noted the project progress to date.

 

19.

SEND CAPITAL GRANT: UPDATE

To receive an update from Bernadette Caffrey

(ITEM FOR INFORMATION)

(15 MINUTES)

Minutes:

A verbal update was received from Bernadette Caffrey. During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

i.            The Uppingham Community College project was nearing completion and would be within budget.  There had been very good joint working and the project had gone very well.

ii.          It was hoped for a completion sign-off to be made on the 19th June so that furniture can start to be installed.

iii.         All staff and children have been identified for a September 2020 start date.

iv.         Service delivery plan was in place and moving forward.

v.          Bernadette meeting with the DfE on the 22nd June to discuss how the SEND Capital Grant has been utilised so far and what we could use it for moving forward.

vi.         Carl requested that the SEN strategy be placed on the agenda for the next meeting.  Stuart stated that full details could be found on his school’s website: http://www.catmosecollege.com/sen/

AGENDA

 

20.

FEES AND CHARGES: UPDATE pdf icon PDF 28 KB

To receive an update from Gill Curtis regarding an increase from Learning and Skills. 

(ITEM FOR INFORMATION)

(10 MINUTES)

Minutes:

A report was received from Gill Curtis.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

i.            Annual review of the Learning and Skills Service annual charges was completed.

ii.          Charges to schools had not risen since 2016.

iii.         Charges now increased in line with inflation:

 

Service Level 1 – Support, Ranking and Distance Measurement

·       Advice and support throughout the admissions round – £51.00

·       Ranking – based on number of applications received for the school @ £38.00 per hour based on a processing time of 5 minutes per application

·       Distance Measurement – £62.00 for primary schools and £87.00 for secondary schools.

 

Service Level 2 – Support and Distance Measurement

·       Advice and support throughout the admissions round – £51.00

·       Distance Measurement – £62.00 for primary schools and £87.00 for secondary schools.

 

Service Level 3 – Support only

·       Advice and support throughout the admissions round – £77.00

 

iv.        Academies will be charged a fixed annual fee of £433.50 to cover both moderation and monitoring activities and attendance at workshops for teachers new to Year 2 and Year 6. 

 

21.

ANY URGENT BUSINESS

 

(5 MINUTES FOR FINAL AGENDA ITEMS)

Minutes:

i.            No official SCAP would be done in 2020 but the Local Authority would be compiling an unofficial SCAP as it would be a useful exercise for future place planning.

 

22.

FORWARD PLAN FOR 2020 pdf icon PDF 49 KB

Minutes:

i.            There were no changes to the forward plan.

 

23.

MEETING DATES

·       Thursday, 1st October 2020, 4.00 – 5.00 p.m., via Microsoft Teams

·       Thursday, 10th December 2020, 4.00 – 5.00 p.m., via Microsoft Teams

Minutes:

·       Thursday, 1st October 2020, 4.00 – 5.00 p.m., Council Chamber

·       Thursday, 10th December 2020, 4.00 – 5.00 p.m., Council Chamber

 

 

Summary of Actions

 

No.

Ref.

Action

Person

1.     

1

Andrew agreed to send each school details regarding the impact on their individual funding for moving 0.5% from schools block to the High Needs Block in 2020/21 and to show what the effects would be if the percentage increased to 1%.

Andrew Merry

2.     

1

Action 2

Andrew confirmed that every LA in the East Midlands would be producing a recovery plan.  It was agreed that Andrew would contact each LA for a breakdown regarding their spending of the High Needs Budget.

Andrew to look at the published outturn reports presented at the other Schools’ Forums and send out the links for information.

Andrew Merry

3.     

5

iii

The underspend of £19k on the schools’ block funding was not expected. The Council was currently investigating the reasons why and Andrew confirmed that he would notify members once that information was found. 

Andrew Merry