Agenda and minutes

Welcome by the Chair and introductions by all Forum Members present.

The Chair welcomed everyone to today’s meeting and introductions were made.

To invite Forum Members to declare any interests they may have on agenda items to be considered at this meeting, to confirm the nature of those interests and whether they intend to leave the meeting for the consideration of the item.

No declarations of interests were made.

Recommendation:-  To receive and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Friday, 28^th April, 2023.

Consideration was given to the minutes from the previous meeting held on 28 April 2023.

Agreed: That the minutes be approved.

To consider and report on any matters arising from the previous minutes:-

There were no matters arising.

To consider any updates or amendments to the membership of the Schools Forum.

No changes to the membership and constitution of the Rotherham Schools Forum were proposed.

Louise Keith/Vera Njegic to report.

Recommendation:-  (1)  To receive the report and note the contents.

(2)  To note the centrally retained early years balance is subject to change as this will be dependant on the Early Years adjustment for the Spring 2023 census count. Within the figures, an anticipated increase of £31.5k has been accounted for.

Consideration was given to the Dedicated School Grant (DSG) – 2022/23 Outturn and 2023/24 Funding report, presented by Louise Keith, Principal Finance Officer (Schools Finance). 

She highlighted that the DSG central reserve deficit balance brought forward to 2022/23 was £12.84m.  The planned underspend of £533k as budgeted in the management plan was achieved and transferred to DSG central reserves.

Rotherham’s planned Safety Valve funding was increased from £3m to £6m at the end of 2022/23. The reprofiling of the safety valve funding, alongside an underspend on the High Needs Block of £724k and underspends on falling rolls and growth funding had reduced the DSG Central Reserve deficit to £5.9m.  Rotherham would continue to receive safety valve funding at £2m for the next 3 years.

For 2023-2024 the Schools Supplementary Grant had been rolled into the Dedicated Schools Grant DSG providing an increase in DSG National Funding Formula (NFF). This had been reflected in the new NFF values for basic entitlement, FSM5 and the lump sum.

Of the total 2022/23 surplus balances, a handful of schools held balances above the thresholds set out in the Scheme for Financing Schools and these were being reviewed.

Of the 2 schools that were previously identified to be in deficit, 1 had now entered a surplus balance position and 1 had converted to an academy.

It was clarified that the Schools Supplementary Grant was included on top of the DSG funding.

Agreed:

1.    That Schools Forum members note the information contained within this report.

2.    That Schools Forum members note that the centrally retained early years balance is subject to change as this will be dependent on the early years adjustment for the Spring 2023 census count. Within the figures, an anticipated increase of £31.5k has been accounted for.

Nathan Heath to report.

Recommendation:-  To receive the reports as presented to Cabinet and note the contents.

Consideration was given to the reports which Nathan Heath, Assistant Director: Education and Inclusion introduced.  He explained that the agenda pack contained the two reports that were presented to Cabinet on Monday 19 June 2023. 

The reports sought formal approval to release Cabinet and revenue funding to increase the number of SEND places available in Rotherham.  He explained the original ask was for 100 places but approval for 140 places would provide additional assurance including the ability to consider growth.

Significant support had been received from the Department for Education. 

The interest from schools in hosting a resource base provision met the initial requirement for SEND Sufficiency Phase 4 with the additional interest shown providing additional capacity to support future phases of SEND Sufficiency particularly in relation to additional SEMH places.

The updated Rotherham School’s Accessibility Strategy identified all schools’ statutory responsibilities to support their pupils and the support available to schools from the Council in relation to their own Accessibility planning.

An allocation of £375k for the next 4 years for both mainstream and special schools was approved by Council in October 2022 as part of SEND Sufficiency phase 4.  The application process was not complicated, and applications were expected when it opened in July 2023.  The second phase of this was for special schools. 

It was explained that one of the challenges were there were a number of schools that were not set up for the needs of their current cohorts.  It was expected that in the first round there would be some immediate bids for adaptations to existing school buildings that had come offline to bring them back into use.

Agreed:

1.    That Schools Forum members note the information contained within these reports.

Nathan Heath to report.

Recommendation:-  To receive the report and note the contents.

Consideration was given to the update from Nathan Heath, Assistant Director: Education and Inclusion.  It was explained that Rotherham remained on course and on track in all areas of the Safety Valve agreement.  Members of the Forum may be aware from the wider context that a number of Local Authorities were challenged to align to the parameters however Rotherham was in a strong position. 

There was capacity within all SEND schools. 

The second round of pay increments for support staff would have a direct impact on the cost base but this was being considered along with capital project trajectories in wider discussions with the DfE.

Agreed: That the updated be noted.

Amy Leech/Helen Rowe to report.

Recommendation:-  To receive the report and note the contents.

Consideration was given to the Teachers NJC and APTC Pay awards update, introduced by Amy leech, HR Business Partner, CYPS.  She explained that the report set out what was being offered for support staff, which equated to a 9.42% pay award at SCP2 and a 3.88% pay award at SCP43.

Teachers and leaders had been offered an average pay rise of 4.5% in 2023-2024 and the Government had announced it would provide further funding for the pay awards.

All of the pay awards had not been agreed by the Unions and the pay award details would not be confirmed until March / April time.

It was noted that some schools were including those projections within their provisions.

It was agreed that an overview of the step funding would be provided at the next meeting.

Agreed: That the Schools Forum:

1.    Noted the update.

2.    Agreed that an overview of the step funding be provided at the next meeting.

Recommendation:-  To receive any other items of urgent business.

There were no urgent business items to consider.

Recommendation:-  To consider and agree the date and time of the next meeting of the Rotherham Schools’ Forum on Friday, 22^nd September, 2023 at 8.30 a.m. at Rockingham PDC.

Agreed: That the next meeting of the Schools’ Forum take place on Friday, 22 September 2023 at 8.30 a.m. at Rockingham Professional Development Centre.