Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from James Sankey and Kate Carter. The following had also resigned from the Forum, Dr Dorian Lewis, Bridgid Hinks and Natasha Ulla.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

There were none received

To Elect a Chair of the Forum.

Geoff Cherril was elected Chair of the Forum until September 2026.

To elect a Vice-Chair of the Forum.

Patrick Earnshaw was elected Vice-Chair of the Forum until September 2026.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 6 February 2024 , as a correct record.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 6 February 2024.

The report considers the end of year position for the DSG budget 2023-24 at a net in-year deficit of £27.7 million.  This is against a budgeted deficit of £27.1 million.

The £0.6 million overspend is largely due to the increasing high needs budget (£1.3 million), offset by savings in the school block and early years block.

The accumulated deficit has grown as a result from £35.8 million to £63.5 million at March 2024, with this required to be carried forward and recovered from future DSG allocations.

The Management Accountant Education presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A’ to these Minutes in the Minute Book. The Forum was informed that the report considered the end of year position for the DSG budget 2023-24 at a net in-year deficit of £27.7 million.  This was against a budgeted deficit of £27.1 million. The £0.6 million overspend was largely due to the increasing high needs budget, £1.3 million, offset by savings in the school block and early years block.  The accumulated deficit had grown as a result, from £35.8 million to £63.5 million at March 2024, with this required to be carried forward and recovered from future DSG allocations.

In relation to early years funding, it was asked what the reasons were for the underspend in this area. It related to finalisation of funding from the previous year. It was noted that the position was laid out within a table in the report. Overall, there was a £90k surplus and it was noted that 99 percent of the money funding had been passed onto providers.

RESOLVED: That the Forum noted the DSG financial position.

It was requested that it be considered at a future meeting if the £90k underspend could it be ringfenced to go back to early years. This was noted and it was confirmed that any discussions around this would normally take place in January.

The BCP Local Area SEND system has significantly changed for the better over the last academic year. This follows the creation of a new SEND Improvement Plan developed to meet the Local Authority’s DfE Statutory Direction Notice to Improve.  The improvement work which has taken place over the last 10 months has now addressed all historic backlogs and improved the servicing of new assessments and Education Care and Health Plans into the system.

BCP’s timeliness in servicing new assessments at 20 weeks is 97% which is near the statutory expectation of 100%.  This is a much-needed improvement from the previous year’s activity which stood at 0% in August 23 and August 2022 at just 5.6%.

Reported to Cabinet in September, an unexpected further increase in new EHCP requests since January 2024 has led to a £15.9 million further increase in the annual funding gap budgeted of £28 million (£43.9 million annual funding gap in total) 

The cumulative deficit at 31 March 2025 is projected to be £107.4 million.

The Management Accountant for Education Finance and the Interim Director for Education and Skills presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book. A supplementary paper detailing BCP School Reserves was also circulated. The Forum was informed that the BCP Local Area SEND system had significantly changed for the better over the last academic year. This followed the creation of a new SEND Improvement Plan developed to meet the Local Authority’s DfE Statutory Direction Notice to Improve.  The improvement work which had taken place over the last 10 months had now addressed all historic backlogs and improved the servicing of new assessments and Education Health and Care Plans into the system.

BCP’s timeliness in servicing new assessments at 20 weeks was at 97 percent, close to the statutory expectation of 100 percent.  A significant improvement from the previous year’s activity which stood at 0 percent in August 23 and August 2022 at just 5.6%. It was reported to Cabinet in September, that an unexpected further increase in new EHCP requests since January 2024 had led to a £15.9 million further increase in the annual funding gap budgeted of £28 million (£43.9 million annual funding gap in total). The cumulative deficit on 31 March 2025 was projected to be £107.4 million.

It was noted that point 34 in the supplementary papers – that the local deficit continued to grow. It was also noted that School and Academy balances overall had continued to increase over last 3 years. A matter was raised that this information was published alongside the High Needs deficit paper without any context provided around the figures. There were some comments made regarding the trust totals not showing all of the issues around school and academy balances, for example requiring funds for capital works, requiring funds for unfunded increases in staffing costs and that the impact of the SEND issue was also reflected in the circumstances that schools were facing with their budgets.

The Forum was requesting a dialogue with BCP around data sharing as some schools were not as inclusive for SEND provision as others. It was noted that following discussions at the Education Conference it was proposed that a template would be circulated to schools later in the week with a request for agreement to share information. It was noted that this would be acted on and at this point information was being shared to the extent which it could be. It was suggested that the Forum should consider information sharing as an item at the next meeting.  It was expected that this would be resolved but the Forum may send a request to assist in relevant conversations.

The Director for Education and Skills advised that as the paper outlined the progress on the SEND improvement journey had gone well. However, a very large number of needs assessments were received in July, 152, this was unprecedented  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To consider and note the Forward Plan

The Forward Plan for the Forum was noted

The Forum is asked to note the previously agreed dates:

·       18 November 2024

·       13 January 2025

·       23 June 2025

And to agree its future meeting dates as outlined below:

• 29 September 2025
• 24 November 2025
• 19 January 2025
• 22 June 2025

Dates for future meetings were noted as follows:

· 18 November 2024

· 13 January 2025

· 23 June 2025

To consider any other business, which, in the opinion of the Chairman, is of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration.

The Chair had not been notified of any other business