Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting and reminded of the basic etiquette required for online meetings and that the meeting would be webcast for the Bucinghamshire Council website.

Apologies were received from:

Ms A Cranmer- Buckinghamshire Council, Mr A Wanford- Green Ridge Academy and Mr R Page- Chalfont Community College.

There were no declarations of Interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2020 were AGREED as an accurate record.

The actions from the meeting held on 13 October 2020 were reviewed and AGREED as completed or carried forward as below.

Actions carried forward:

Update to be provided by Ms K Tamlyn, Head Teacher Cheddington School- Chairman of the Schools Forum Funding Group.

Ms K Tamlyn- Cheddington School- Chairman of the Schools Forum Funding Group gave an overview of the SFFG meeting. The action notes were appended to the minutes.

To be presented by Ms E Williams, Head of Finance- Childrens Services, Buckinghamshire Council.

Ms E Williams, Head of Finance (Children’s Services)- Buckinghamshire Council gave an overview of the report provided.

Recommendation:

Schools Forum is asked to note the revenue budget monitoring position at the end of October (Period 7).

Resolved:

Schools Forum NOTED the revenue budget monitoring position at the end of October (Period 7).

To be presented by the Chairmn of the Maintained Schools Committee.

Mr D Hood- Cressex School, Ms J Freeman- King’s Wood School and Ms E Williams, Head of Finance (Children’s Services)- Buckinghamshire Council gave an overview of the Contingency Group meeting and the reports provided.

Contingency Panel Terms of Reference

Recommendation:

Schools Forum was asked to agree a change to the Terms of Reference to the School Specific Contingency Fund.

Resolved:

Schools Forum AGREED a change to the Terms of Reference to the School Specific Contingency Fund.

De-Delegation Proposals 2021-22

Recommendation:

To consider and agree the proposals for de-delegation in 2021-22 based on the recommendations of the Maintained Schools Sub-Committee as outlined in Appendix A and Appendix B to this report.

Resolved:

The Maintained Schools representatives on the Schools Forum AGREED the proposals for de-delegation in 2021-22 based on the recommendations of the Maintained Schools Sub-Committee as outlined in Appendix A and Appendix B to this report.

To be presented by Ms E Williams, Head of Finance- Childrens Services, Buckinghamshire Council.

Ms E Williams, Head of Finance (Children’s Services)- Buckinghamshire Council gave an overview of the report provided.

Recommendations:

Schools Forum is asked to:

a)    Note the information set out in the report, including the accompanying appendices and to note the modelling is on indicative allocations. Final allocations are due in December 2020, which will be used to update the model.

b)    Confirm the MFG value at 0.5%.

c)     To note the updated modelling for the Central Schools Services Block and the increased allocation for the High Needs Block for 2021-22.

Resolved:

The Schools Forum:

a)    NOTED the information set out in the report, including the accompanying appendices and to note the modelling is on indicative allocations. Final allocations are due in December 2020, which will be used to update the model.

b)    CONFIRMED the MFG value at 0.5%.

c)     NOTED the updated modelling for the Central Schools Services Block and the increased allocation for the High Needs Block for 2021-22.

To be presented by Ms E Williams, Head of Finance- Childrens Services, Buckinghamshire Council.

Mr S James, Director for Education- Buckinghamshire Council and Ms E Williams, Head of Finance (Children’s Services) Buckinghamshire Council gave a summary and an overview of the report provided.

Recommendations:

Schools Forum is asked to-

a)    Agree the proposed band values

b)    Agree the proposed transitional arrangements

c)     Agree to apply for an exemption from the Special School MFG 

Resolved:

a)    15 AGREED   3 DISAGREED the proposed band values.

b)    16 AGREED   2 DISAGREED the proposed transitional arrangements

c)    17 AGREED   1 DISAGREED to apply for an exemption from the Special School MFG 

Update to be provide by Mr S James, Service Director for Education, Buckinghamshire Council.

No formal update was given.

Update from F40- To be presented by Ms E Williams, Head of Finance- Childrens Services, Buckinghamshire Council.

Update to Contingency TOR- To be presented by Ms E Williams, Head of Finance- Childrens Services, Buckinghamshire Council.

Ms E Williams, Head of Finance (Children’s Services)- Buckinghamshire Council gave an overview of the report provided.

Recommendation:

Schools Forum is asked to note the correspondence from the F40 group to the Department for Education highlighting the cost implications of Covid-19 for schools and local authorities.

Resolved:

Schools Forum NOTED the correspondence from the F40 group to the Department for Education highlighting the cost implications of Covid-19 for schools and local authorities.

19 January 2021, 1.30pm.

MS Teams Meeting

Tuesday 23 March 2021 1.30pm.

MS Teams Virtual Meeting.

To resolve to exclude the press and public as the following item is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 because it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

To be presented by Mr G Lamb- HR Policy & Reward Consultant, Buckinghamshire Council.

Mr G Lamb- HR Policy & Reward Consultant, Buckinghamshire Council gave an overview of the report provided.

Recommendations:

Members of the Schools Forum were asked to:

·       Consider the information set out in this report.

·       Consider the response fed back from school Headteachers and bursars on support staff pay reviews for next year.

·       Propose a percentage pay award for Members of the Senior Appointments and Pay Committee (SAPC) to consider.

Resolved:

Members of the Schools Forum:

·       CONSIDERED the information set out in this report.

·       CONSIDERED the response fed back from school Headteachers and bursars on support staff pay reviews for next year.

·       PROPOSED A 2.5% pay award for Members of the Senior Appointments and Pay Committee (SAPC) to consider.