Agenda item

DSG Management Plan update

Minutes:

Johnny Kyriacou presented a verbal update on the DSG Management Plan and advised that a full written report will be provided for the meeting in March. He confirmed that the Local Authority was consulting with stakeholders and sharing the draft plans and projections have been to date. The aim of this report was to update Forum members on the principles behind the approach to the management plan and what the potential mitigations are. Some informal documentation was screen-shared with members to illustrate some of the areas of pressure within the High Needs Block and the possible mitigations being considered. 

 

There is an increasing understanding within the Local Authority regarding the increase in the overspend in recent years. In relation to the escalation of costs in independent, non-maintained special school placements, the LA is looking at what we're doing around commissioning, particularly focusing on the increase in cost of post-16 placements, particularly for those aged 21 and over and looking at more robust decision. There is also an  increasing number of requests for assessment at the SEN panel; again, the need to develop a more robust way of working is recognised, together with more transparent decision making and ensuring that decisions are made based on need, not unnecessary want.

 

More sophisticated data is needed to provide clarity around numbers of high need children in mainstream settings. The data systems in the LA need improvements to get a better grip of the numbers across the town, which will help us to be more strategic about where children are placed. We have inherited a recent resource base review as a good starting point. The intention is to provide training for send officers to make sure that they're using the management information system well in a more sophisticated way.

 

With regard to alternative provision, the LA is also looking at achieving a position of  sustainability as opposed to strictly what is statutory, and ultimately trying to achieve a balance between making savings and making the right provision for our young people. There are ongoing discussions with the alternative provision providers at primary and secondary.

 

The existing SEND banding model is showing the 40% inflation rate;  this is a key risk and there are short, medium and long term plans in place to tackle this.

 

Johnny Kyriacou confirmed that the LA did not want to approach the situation with the intention of just cutting everything, recognising the potential impact on the system, and the negative impact on young people and on schools in general and in some cases, specific funding for particular schools. Slough has one of the largest overspends in the country;  it is recognised  that some difficult decisions may need to be made in order to achieve the balance. He confirmed that the LA is due to meet with the DfE in April with regard to inclusion in the ‘Safety Valve’ programme.

 

The Chair asked whether the overarching aim was to eliminate the in-year High Needs deficit or simply to minimise it? Johnny Kyriacou advised that the aim is to get the as low as possible. The overspend has been increasing over a number of years;  the initial aim is to get to understand why this has happened and why in particular in our local authority. The initial thinking was that we need to get to zero deficit, but following conversations with DfE the thinking now is to ensure that we reach a sustainable position. If the LA is included in the Safety Valve programme, then there would be a five-year agreement with the DfE and we would be working towards sustainability over that time scale.

 

Johnny Kyriacou also described the complexity of the situation which is compounded by the outcome of the area SEND inspection and the Section 114 notice which impacts the Council’s wider financial position. He confirmed that the aim was to still try and ensure that support structures are in place for young people and that the LA would not be making any decisions about specific young people based on the financial package.

 

The Chair asked whether the LA was aware of any intention by the DfE to increase into the High Needs funding nationally. Johnny Kyriacou advised that the LA had no indication of this but there was a sense that the DfE understands that the level of need is rising and that the system does need more money. However, DfE also appears convinced that local authorities where overspend is really high can have a more robust approach.

 

Cllr. Hulme asked when a decision from DfE was expected about whether or not Slough would be joining the Safety Valve programme. Johnny Kyriacou confirmed that there is a meeting with DfE in April.

 

Kamaljit Kaur confirmed that the LA has just been informed that the DfE has provided a further £325m of funding at national level.  Slough’s share of this is £1.2m increasing the 2022-23 High Needs allocation from £30.6m to £31.8m. This was the level of funding originally anticipated.

 

Johnny Kyriacou left the meeting at 9.35am; prior to this an item of AOB was discussed which is minuted under item 888.