Schools’ Forum 19th October 2012

Schools Forum was  informed that, following the consultation , it is likely that the examplar sent out to schools will be endorsed as the model for the financial year 2013-14. Schools’ Forum endorsed this position and expected that the City executive will also endorse it. Schools are reminded that a Minimum Funding Guarantee of -1.5% will apply.

Schools Forum voted for the following services( all of those in an earlier left hand column) to be dedelegated ( effectively returned to a central administration by schools).

These are

• The Admissions service
• Servicing schools Forum
• Carbon reduction commitments
• Capital expenditure funded from revenue
• Termination of past employment costs

The total sum for these commitments is £4.4 million. This amount  cannot be exceeded by the combined needs of these services.

Schools Forum also agreed all of the funding for the items in the middle column should be dedelegated

These are

• Schools in financial difficulty
• Schools facing exceptional cost pressures
• Funding for significant pupil growth
• Behaviour support services
• Ethnic minority Groups and bilingual learners including traveller children
• Determination of free school meal eligibility
• Insurance
• Staff costs associated with Union representation in disputes
• Licenses and subscriptions

The current cost of those services is £3.05 million. These services are not financially capped and their costs are allowed to increase.

Schools’ Forum was advised that a third category of items in the right hand column on earlier documents, could not be approved by Schools’ Forum. Money could only be allocated to these activities if individual schools choose to buy these services.