Agenda and minutes

The Vice Chairman welcomed all to the meeting and reminded all of the basic etiquette for a MS Teams meeting.

Apologies were received from:

Mr K Patrick- Chiltern Hills Academy

Mr S Sneesby- Kite Ridge School

Mr R Page- Chalfont Community Coollege

To disclose any Personal or Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 07 December 2021.

The minutes of the meeting held on 07 December 2021 were AGREED as an accurate record.

The actions from the meeting held on 07 December 2021 were reviewed and AGREED as completed or carried forward as below.

A verbal update to be provided by MS K Tamlyn, Chairman of the Schools Forum Funding Group.

Ms K Tamlyn- 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 (Children’s Services)- Buckinghamshire Council.

School Budget Proposals Section A:  Schools Block- Supplementary Pack

School Budget Proposals Section C:  High Needs Block 2022-23 (will include Appendix 7)- Supplementary Pack

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

DSG Allocation 2022-23

Recommendations

a)      To recommend that Buckinghamshire Council sets the overall Dedicated Schools Budget at £532.816m in line with the funding allocation announced on 16^th December 2021.

b)      To recommend that the supplementary grants announced by the Department for Education (DfE) are allocated to the Schools Budget in accordance with the conditions of grant (final allocations to be confirmed in spring 2022).

c)      To agree the allocation of funding to mainstream schools based on the local funding formula for schools agreed in December 2021, updated for the October 2021 census data.  This recommendation has been updated to include the supplementary recommendations:

                                i.            To consider the revised methodology for the calculation of Low Prior Attainment Funding within the local funding formula for infant schools based on the previous year’s average data for those schools rather than the county average.

                               ii.            To agree which model should be used to calculate school budgets for 2022-23

d)      To confirm the criteria for the Growth Fund in 2022-23.

e)      To consider the savings proposals detailed in Appendix 5 to reduce Central Schools Services Block expenditure in line with reductions in funding.

f)       To agree the Central Schools Service Block budgets for 2022-23 as detailed in Appendix 6.

g)      To agree the budget for the High Needs Block in 2022-23 as detailed in Appendix 7. 

h)      To agree the Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF) for 2022-23.

Resolved

a)      Schools Forum RECOMMENDED that Buckinghamshire Council sets the overall Dedicated Schools Budget at £532.816m in line with the funding allocation announced on 16^th December 2021.

b)      Schools Forum RECOMMENDED that the supplementary grants announced by the Department for Education (DfE) are allocated to the Schools Budget in accordance with the conditions of grant (final allocations to be confirmed in spring 2022).

c)      Schools Forum AGREED the allocation of funding to mainstream schools based on the local funding formula for schools agreed in December 2021, updated for the October 2021 census data.  This recommendation has been updated to include the supplementary recommendations:

                                i.            Schools Forum CONSIDERED the revised methodology for the calculation of Low Prior Attainment Funding within the local funding formula for infant schools based on the previous year’s average data for those schools rather than the county average.

                               ii.            Schools Forum AGREED which model should be used to calculate school budgets for 2022-23

d)      Schools Forum CONFIRMED the criteria for the Growth Fund in 2022-23.

e)      Schools Forum CONSIDERED the savings proposals detailed in Appendix 5 to reduce Central Schools Services Block expenditure in line with reductions in funding.

f)       Schools Forum AGREED the Central Schools Service Block budgets for 2022-23 as detailed in Appendix 6.

g)      Schools Forum AGREED the budget for the High Needs Block in 2022-23 as detailed in Appendix 7. 

h)      Schools Forum AGREED the Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF) for 2022-23.

To be presented by Ms E Williams, Head of Finance (Children’s 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 note the revenue budget monitoring forecast at the end of December (Period 9)

Resolved:

Schools Forum NOTED the revenue budget monitoring forecast at the end of December (Period 9)

Verbal update to be provided by Ms E Williams, Head of Finance (Children’s Services)- Buckinghamshire Council and Mr S James, Director for Education- Buckinghamshire Council.

Verbal update provided by Ms E Williams, Head of Finance (Children’s Services)- Buckinghamshire Council and Mr S James, Director for Education- Buckinghamshire Council.

There were no items of AOB.

Tuesday 22 March 2022- 1.30pm

MS Teams Virtual Meeting

Tuesday 22 March 2022- 1.30pm

MS Teams Virtual Meeting