Agenda item

SH presented results of the consultation with schools and the principle of allocating headroom within the schools block.

JC noted that there were two separate issues;  the approval of the principle of the 0.5% block transfer, which is something that Forum has agreed in the previous two years, and then the principle for distribution of any headroom in the schools block. SH confirmed that the 0.5% transfer to the high needs block would essentially come from the headroom and would not decrease the NFF funding allocations for schools. SH confirmed that the headroom within the schools’ block was approximately £3.5m, which was therefore well able to cover the block transfer which would be around £870k.

SH noted the low level of responses from schools to the consultation.  The majority view in relation to the block transfer was that the transfer should take place but some schools expressed reservations based on the impact to individual schools’ budgets.  The second recommendation to use basic entitlement to allocate surplus schools block funding had significant support.

The Chair thanked SH and suggested that Forum give provisional approval for the proposal for block transfer, to be confirmed in January when any other pressure son headroom – eg in relation to the alternative provision discussed earlier – were know.  He also proposed that Forum provisionally approve any headroom to be allocated via basic entitlement funding.

MW agreed that she would endorse this approach. MW also noted that the consultation does not mention that the Safety Valve programme was predicated on a transfer, and suggested that making this clear might have generated responses that were more positive.

Forum members agreed with the Chair’s proposals and gave provisional approval to the 0.5% block transfer and to the principle of allocating headroom through basic entitlement.