Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs. J. Shelley, Mrs. E. Bolam, Mr. D. Shevill, Mr. G. Lancashire, Ms. R. Wragg, Councillors Litteboy, St. John and S. Wright.

(a) The minutes of the meeting held on the 16th March, 2007 were agreed as a correct record.

(b) That discussions regarding future dates for school holidays involved school cluster representatives.

(c) Graham Sinclair clarified that the advice which had been sent to schools in a letter from Trading Standards regarding school uniform contracts highlighted that contracts entered into by schools should not be anti-competitive.

It was accepted that final decisions on contracts were taken by school governing bodies.

Catharine Kinsella  commented on the content of a report submitted which :-

(a)        informed the members of the Schools Forum about the situation relating to the funding and activities of the Rotherham Schools’ Music Service, and the core offer

(b)        informed members of the Schools Forum about charges that will need to be made for activities outside the core offer

(c)        use(s) of the Standards Fund grant 116b

(d)        invited the Forum members to comment on consultation to be held with Headteachers of all schools with Key Stage 2 pupils regarding the potential use of grant 116b; three options were set out in the report.

Comments made on the report related to :-

-          more information to be provided to schools on benefits/losses of the options

-          establishment of a monitoring group to give guidance on the proposals, reporting back to a future meeting of this Forum

-          the equity of provision should schools accept Option 2

-          the specific grant situation for 2007/08

The Schools Forum was generally in favour of Option 2 but that the proposals were being submitted to schools for comments.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received.

(2) That Rotherham Schools Forum support the Rotherham Schools Music Service by supporting option 2 in consulting with schools on the three options for the future funding of RSMS.

Graham Sinclair commented on the content of a consultation document from the DfES on the shape of school funding 2008/09 to 2010/11 and on suggested responses to the key issues raised as set out in a Local Government Association briefing paper, which was distributed.

Particular discussions took place on issues relating to :-

Ø      Easing the conditions which allow the ring-fenced Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) to be used for Every Child Matters purposes;

Ø      Whether DSG should continue to be distributed through the ‘spend plus top ups for ministerial priorities method’ or whether there should be a return to a formula along the lines of the previous Schools Formula Spending Share;

Ø      How best to reflect deprivation in the DSG formula;

Ø      Whether the DSG should continue to use January pupil counts or whether the date should be changed to an autumn term pupil count;

Ø      Whether there should continue to be a minimum funding guarantee at school level and, if so, the level at which it should be set;

Ø      how the rules governing both the minimum funding guarantee and increases on ‘central spending’ should operate;

Ø      Whether local authorities should be allowed to tax excessive school balances;

Ø      How under-5 and post-16 interests should be represented at Schools Forums;

Ø      Under 5s: how to bring funding for the maintained and PVI (private, voluntary and independent) sector closer together;

Ø      How the new specialised diplomas for 14-16 year olds will operate at authority level;

Ø      Specific grants besides the DSG

Agreed:- (a) That the comments of this Schools Forum on the consultation document be noted and submitted to the Finance Strategy Group.

(b) That the Finance Strategy Group consider the consultation paper along with the comments of this Forum, its response to be submitted to the Schools Forum and to schools for information.

(c) That the Chairman of the Rotherham Schools Forum, Alan Staton, be invited to the meeting of the Finance Strategy Group when the consultation document on future school funding is being discussed.

Graham Sinclair reported the 2007/08 budget percentage increases for the primary, secondary, nursery and special schools phases.

Comment was made on :-

-           the effect on budgets of Service Level Agreements; full information was still awaited from schools

-           the effect on cleaning services of single status

Agreed:- That the information be received.

Vera Njegic informed the meeting that 11 secondary schools had met the School Financial Management Standards at present.

Workshops for primary schools, on meeting the Standards, would be held during 2007/08.

Vera Njegic reported that responses were still awaited on the scheme from some schools, and that a letter on insurance premium rates in respect of teacher cover had been sent to schools.

A request was made for an assurance to be given that Rotherham MBC would not give favourable consideration to the setting up of academies.

Agreed:- That the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services be requested to give a response on academies at the next meeting of this Schools Forum.

Friday, 29^th June, 2007 at 8.30 a.m.

This was scheduled for Friday 29th June, 2007 at 8.30 a.m.