Agenda item

GB introduced the report and drew attention to the following:

·       The principles were discussed at the previous meeting and Forum now needed to take a formal decision;

·       The final DSG allocations were published on 17^th December and were generally in line with expectations, but had been updated to reflect the pupil figures in the October census, with a slight reduction in primary school numbers and increase in secondary school numbers;

·       The teachers’ pay and pensions grant would now be subsumed into the DSG and there were different rules about how this would apply to the different settings with mainstream schools covered as part of the schools block; special needs settings would receive a separate payment based on pupil numbers and early years settings would receive a separate grant;

·       Central Services Block had reduced slightly to claw back historic commitments such as prudential borrowing;

·       Schools Block had slightly increased to reflect the increase in government funding;

·       Early Years Block had slightly increase to reflect the rate increase for 2 year olds;

·       Formal ratification was required for the transfer of movement between blocks as discussed at the previous meeting with 0.5% being transferred from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block but keeping the money separate to fund the second year of the High Needs Transformation programme and the £147k left over in the Central Schools Block being transferred to the High Needs Block as this was no longer needed;

·       A decision was also required in relation to the Early Years National Funding Formula (EYNFF);

·       There was an update on the EYNFF consultation as 116 responses had now been received and there was a slight changes in percentages with 83% agreed with passing any increase in base rate on to the provider; 90% agreed with keeping the deprivation supplement at the current rate; 86% agreed with using System Leadership for the quality supplement and 97% with SEN supplement as the higher rate. 

·       The proposal was to pass on any increase in 3 and 4 year old rate to the provider but there was no increase; and also to pass on any increase in the 2 year old rate which amounted to 8p per child; 

·       Forum ratification was also required on Central School Services Block proposals.

Forum were asked to raise any comments which would be drawn to the attention of the upcoming Cabinet and Council meetings determining the Council’s Budget and the following comments were raised:

• Concern that Early Years settings remained open during lockdown, but would only be funded for the children attending and this was not financially sustainable as many parents were choosing not to send their children to nursery during lockdown due to concerns about Covid 19.  AH confirmed that the funding was ambiguous in relation to Early Years and reassured Forum that the Council was working with the Regional Schools Commission and other Local Authorities to look at how this could be fed back to government as well as getting clarity on the guidance.  She confirmed that there was a lot of lobbying nationally and regionally on the issue of how funding based on census figures would work while children were not in school.
• There was a concern that the lack of secondary school places would result in an increase in school appeals which would have a detrimental impact on the budget of schools;
• Bristol City Council was requested to continue lobbying government about schools being able to claim back additional costs which had resulted from the Covid pandemic.

RESOLVED that:

1)      the 2021/22 funding levels be noted;

2)      the final transfers between blocks be approved as set out in the report;

3)      the Early Years National Funding Formula be approved as set out in the report;

4)      the following feedback be passed on to Cabinet and Council, for consideration in making final decisions on the Schools Budget for 2021/22:

·       Concern that Early Years settings remained open during lockdown, but would only be funded for the children attending and this was not financially sustainable as many parents were choosing not to send their children to nursery during lockdown;

·       The lack of secondary school provision would result in an increase in the number of school appeals and this will have a detrimental impact on schools;

·       Bristol City Council be requested to continue lobbying to enable schools to claim back additional costs resulting from the Covid pandemic;

5)      the following Central School Services Block allocations be agreed:

• LA Core Functions £1.069m (as per Appendix 1);

• School Admissions £0.526m;

• Schools Forum £0.023m;

• Combined Services £0.599m (as per Appendix 2).