Agenda item

Report of Chief Officer for Children’s Services and Director of Finance (Designate) (DEF/21/09) attached.

DISCUSSION:

The Forum considered the joint Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services and Director of Finance (Designate) (DEF/21/09) on proposals to address the cumulative deficit of £85m to March 2022 and discussions with  Department of Education on the management plan.

The Forum also noted the respective minutes of the Schools Finance Group (SFG) of 8 September and 3 November 2021.

The Report (DEF/21/09) covered:-

An overview

Management actions

The medium term

Impact of cost reduction on overall deficit

Risks.

Members’ discussions included:-

-what aspects of the plan remained on target, together with reasons and proposals for any slippage of the various actions (eg resource bases, paragraph 2.3 and continued demand for new Education Health & Care Plan (EHCP) requests, paragraph 2.6 of the Report); 

-that a detailed discussion at the next meeting on the Council’s position on managing the deficit and role of the Forum would then enable Forum members to give a holistic resume to schools;

-that the Forum was looking for more certainty and clarity at the January 2022 meeting (e.g. including medium term plan, paragraph 3.1 of the Report);

-that the Department for Education (DfE) expert panel had confirmed the plan covered all necessary steps but recognised that the detailed plan was ambitious (as previously stated by the LA), work was actively in progress between the DfE and LA, with DfE challenge and support planned for the new year. Some Members were concerned at how realistic various aspects of this complex plan were to achieve within target;

-clarity sought on who (e.g. LA or Forum) and when would a decision be made on whether the work of the SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disability) 100 Projects would continue permanently after their initial year of running and their initial year of funding, given the projects’ successful progress but in view of some timeline slippage?

In response to the above, Officers advised that although there were some delayed starts, there were positive indications that the work was starting to see an impact in supporting children to remain in their mainstream school.  This would be monitored to see whether the cost of the project could be self-sustaining and if the Budget preparation for 2022/23 would require review for the new financial year in regard to any carry forwards.  Whilst the High Needs Block (HNB) budget allocation was ultimately an LA decision, a school view via this Forum would be sought. A Safety Valve mechanism was also to be considered. 

The success of SEND transformation however required a whole system approach including the direct support of individual schools.  Discussions with the School Leadership Service (headteachers’ association) and peer challenge on engaging schools would be welcomed.

DECISION:

(a) that the current position of the DSG Deficit Management Plan as set out in Report (DEF/21/09) be noted, whilst recognising this was ambitious due to obstacles, that there was a reduction in the amount that could be achieved this year, together with progress of the DfE’s involvement in the Plan. 

(b) that a detailed report be made to the next Forum meeting on the County Council’s position on the substantial and sustained deficit and how this was to be managed and reduced;

(c) that guidance notes regarding the HNB being an LA process, together with details of DfE agreed management plans with other LAs be circulated to Forum members for information. 

ACTION: 

Chief Officer for Children’s Services (Melissa Caslake) – (b)

Director of Finance (Designate) (Adrian Fox) – (c)