Apologies were received from Simon Niles and Julie Shears. The Forum welcomed Alison Eden, principal accountant, to the meeting.

Minutes from the 1^st December 2016 meeting were agreed, with minor amendments to the following items:

·         Matters arising (Item 3)

·         Verbal Update on Challenging Behaviour project (Item 5.4)

High Cost Placements – Working Party has been set up and has had initial meeting.

Roger Hughes

The second wave of Autism Champions began in December 2016. Initial feedback to this has been very positive, Dorothy Hadleigh is currently preparing an impact report on their effectiveness, which will be shared with the Forum in March.

Adam Morris

From Adam Morris – The Chestnut Centre has now taken on two more Family Social Workers, initial feedback has been very positive. A FSWs steering group is currently being set up, which will include Health, education, early help, and Early Years staff, with the aim of improving inter-agency communication. Council Officers will be required to attend all meetings of the group, as part of their statutory duties.

Secondary group – communicating best practice. ELSAs being established. Behaviour champions (whole school practice). Attachment training, 24 schools. Alternative provisions (not mainstream).

Rachael Williams

Rachael Williams shared with the Forum analysis of unallocated funds managed by the Steering Group for Improving Outcomes for Vulnerable Pupils. There are currently funds of £459k unallocated, and a proposal was bought to the group to reserve a sum of £100k from these funds to create a contingency for the higher needs block for the year 17/18. It was recognised that unallocated funds should be placed where they can have the most impact. The Forum agreed that there is a need to see the impact of driving costs down, whilst trying to deal with the growth in demand.

Vote – to reserve £100k of unallocated funds for the year 17/18:

·         12 in favour (unanimous)

Rachael Williams

Rachael Williams presented a paper written by Emma Kerridge, Senior Early Years Advisory Teacher, detailing the new Early Years National Funding Formula (EYNFF), which will be introduced in April 2017. From the £4.30 per hour allocated to the Local Authority for every three and 4 year old child, from April schools will now receive £3.82 p/h, down from the £4.08 p/h they currently receive. 5% will be retained in order to deliver the scheme, and cover services provided by the council. A one year transitional period of funding, calculated at £153,900, was put to vote to support moving toward the new EYNFF.

Vote: to allocate a one year transitional top up payment to all PVI providers:

·         10 in favour

·         1 against

·         1 Abstaining

The paper also highlighted changes to the current ALFEY (Activity Led Funding for Early Years) inclusion fund, with an increase in free childcare entitlement from 15 hours a week to 30. With a substantial reduction in the base rate provided to settings anticipated, in order to cover the costs of providing additional hours, a recommendation to allocate £100k from the higher needs block to minimise the impact on settings was put to vote.

Vote – To allocate funds from higher needs block to inclusion fund (ALFEY):

·         9 in favour

·         0 against

·         3 abstaining

Action – Rachael Williams and Rob Parr to report back to the Forum’s June meeting with analysis of current ALFEY spend.

Rachael Williams / Rob Parr

The DSG (Dedicated Schools Grant) is forcecast to overspend by £329k. Main areas of overspend are Statementing/EHCP, Special Schools Contigency, and Early Years SEN inclusion. Whilst there is a strategic review of the SEN team currently in place, it is recognised that SEN costs are fairly level when compared with other Local Authorities, there is just a higher level of EHCP children in Torbay. A proposal was put to the Forum to manage overspend using the DSG reserve, whilst recognising that this is not a sustainable solution for future years.

Vote – to use DSG reserve to manage current overspend:

·         12 in favour (Unanimous)

Rob Parr

A comparison of initial DSG funding between 16/17 and 17/18 was shared with the group.

Analysis from both the Local Authority and the SGIOVP has highlighted the size of investment in vulnerable pupils placed both in and out of the authority, and the pressure these placements put upon the DSG and Higher Needs Block.  In order to meet demands placed upon the LA and to better meet the needs of vulnerable pupils, a vote was held on the creation of a new post within the LA, a Head of Vulnerable Pupils. This will be a growth item from the 17/18 budget onwards.

Vote – to appoint a Head of Vulnerable Pupils

·         12 in favour (unanimous)

Rob Parr

Rob Parr, principal accountant, shared findings from stage 2 of the National Fair Funding Formula consultation, which was launched on 14^th December 2016. To formulate a response to this consultation, the Forum recommended a working party be set up, which will consist of Rachael Williams, Rob Parr, Lindsey Kings, Jan Chopping and Maurice Codd. The working party will meet before the March Schools Forum, on 21^st February.

Rob Parr

The Education Services Grant has been transferred to the Local Authorities DSG (Dedicated Schools Grant) from 2017/18. A breakdown of funding responsibilities being transferred was shared with the group, and a decision on how to manage the transfer of funds (£286,000) was put to vote.

Vote – to retain the funding to provide the retained duties set out in the proposal:

·         12 in favour (unanimous)

A further breakdown of responsibilities the LA holds for Maintained Schools was also discussed, along with the option to de-delegate funds of £24,200 in 2017/18.

Vote – to leave the funds as they are, being used for Statutory and Regulatory Duties:

·         3 in favour (unanimous, votes only from maintained school representatives)

Report from Working Party on response to National Fair Funding Formula Consultation.

Report from Dorothy Hadleigh on impact of Autism Champions

Written Report on CAMHS

Written report on TESS

9^th March 2017        

29^th June 2017

12^th October 2017

30^th November 2017

18^th January 2018

8^th March 2018

Thursday 9^th March, 09:00 Mezz 3, Tor Hill House

Thursday 29^th June, 09:00 Mezz 3 Tor Hill House

Thursday 12^th October, 09:00 Mezz 3 Tor Hill House

Thursday 30^th November, 09:00 Mezz 3 Tor Hill House

Thursday 18^th January, TBA

Thursday 8^th March, TBA