Apologies for absence were received from L. Clark, M Jordan, V. Wright and A. Mcgarel.

Minutes and action log attached

The Board discussed the actions log and noted the progress made against several areas.  The actions log would be updated as required.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 22^nd October 2019 were agreed as a correct record.

There were no matters arising from the minutes at this meeting.

Report of the Clerk attached

The Board considered a report from the Clerk covering the current membership and vacancies, attendance and the final version of the Education Board Constitution updated and revised since the meeting held on 22^nd October 2019.

The Board discussed the attendance and membership and noted the difficulties filling the current vacancies, particularly in the maintained primary sector.

Resolved:

1. That the attendance at Board meetings for the period March 2019 to October 2019, as set out in appendix 1, be noted and that the Clerk, on behalf of the Chair, writes to the PRU concerning their attendance.

2. That the current membership, vacancies and voting rights, set out at Appendix 2, be noted and that the vacancies in the relevant sectors be re-advertised within all schools and school governing bodies.

3. That the revised and updated Education Board Constitution, as set out in Appendix 3, with the effect date of 17^th December 2019, be approved.

Report attached

The Board considered a report from the Senior Finance Officer presenting the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) covering:

·         The final funding methodology for distribution of the 2020/21 Individual School Block (ISB) allocations;

·         The final indicative DSG budget allocation for 2020/21; and

·         The updated forecast outturn for 2019/20.

The Board primarily discussed the Central Block funding for historic commitments and the need for a clearly defined strategy and options to manage and mitigate against the Department for Education (DfE) funding reductions in this area (i.e. 20% reduction in 2020/21 and an anticipated further 20% reduction for each of the remaining 4 years). 

The Board also commented on the High Needs Block funding commending the work undertaken to restore the DSG high needs funding position to a sustainable financial position.

Resolved:

1. That the indicative and the remaining 2020/21 per pupil uplift applied to all individual school block allocations, who have either not benefited from and therefore already funded above the minimum funding rates per pupil for 2020/21 or a 4% uplift to applied to the applicable core NFF pupil led factors, be set on Option 1 as set out in Appendix 1, which incorporates the proposed, required and asked school block to central block funding transfer.

2. That it be recognised that Option 1 as agreed in resolution 1 above is a proposed short term measure for 2020/21, which has been driven by the Department for Education (DfE) recent announcement on 11^th October 2019 that the Central Block funding for historic commitments will be reduced by 20% for 2020/21.  Option 1 therefore allows the local authority (with working groups, as required) time to sensibly plan and consult (including with the Education Board), mitigating actions to address the continued and expected further funding losses from 2021/22 onwards.

3. That, on the basis of Option 1 (resolution 1 above) having been approved, the total funding amount of £1,746,170 for Central Block services (as referenced in paragraph 9.3 of the report), be approved.

4. That the continued de-delegation of public duties at £1.00 per pupil (at the same rate at 2019/20), which will also be applied to their Numbers on Roll as at the October 2019 Census, to be held centrally within the schools block (Maintained schools only), be approved.

5. That the growth fund to support schools continues to be held centrally within the schools block and distributed to provide the extra required planning places with the authority.

6. That, if affordable to the long term growth model, a back dated increase be applied to the growth rates proposed from September 2019, which will be presented in the next January Education Board DSG report alongside the rates for September 2020.  This will also then, become an additional annual step of the model.

7. That the 2020/21 early year funding rates, as shown in Appendix 3, be approved.

8. That, on the basis of the decisions undertaken above and at the previous October 2019 DSG report, the DSG paper  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Report attached

The Board considered a report from the Head of Early Years proposing the use of the one off funding resources available through the Early Years DSG reserve to maximise the available budget.

The Board noted that updates and reports on progress will be provided through the School Performance Sub Group and an annually to the Board.

Resolved:

1. That the one off funding resource of £224,000 over a period of two years, be approved.

2. That the use of the funds to support Early Years delivery in:

·         Maintaining and expanding development officers’ role for two years to include outreach activities to reach parents/carers of eligible children who are not accessing their entitlement;

·         To ensure marketing and communication are fully developed using all platforms developed with the Communication Team;

·         To maintain dedicated Early Years resource for two years within the Operational, Performance and Intelligence Team (OPI); and

·         To develop specific training on inclusion practice, looking at behaviour through a different lens, in line with Southend 2050 outcomes, involving active participation in design and roll out of the programme.

Progress report/paper to follow

Due to the sensitive nature of the information this item/matter was considered under Part 2 at the end of the meeting.

Report / paper to follow

The Board received PowerPoint presentation slides providing an overview of the key messages, findings and recommendations from the ISOS Partnership research project ‘strengthening a culture of inclusion in Southend Schools’.

The Board discussed some of the barriers and challenges and the need to build on the existing strengths for a more inclusive approach to education and provide more consistent delivery and fairer distribution across all schools in the Borough.  The Board also noted the governance arrangements to guide the strategy and action-plan.

Resolved:

That the ISOS Partnership project to strengthen a culture of inclusion in Southend Schools, be noted.  Further progress would be provided to future meetings of the Education Board.

(a) RSG – Draft minutes attached

(b) VSLG – to follow

(c) SPSG – to follow

The Board received the minutes of the Resources Sub Group held on 3^rd December 2019 which were noted.

The minutes of the Vulnerable Learners and School Performance Sub Group were not available in time for this meeting and would be circulated separately.

Resolved:

That in accordance with paragraphs 65 to 67 of the Education Board Constitution, the press and public, be excluded for the items of business set out below in line with relevant legislation (such as the Data Protection Act) on the grounds that the matters contained sensitive information.

Confidential appendix 4 (circulated separately)

The Board received the confidential Appendix 4 (Central Block allocation historic commitment) relating to agenda item 5 above.

Resolved:

That the confidential appendix 4 to agenda item 5 above (DSG 2020/21 Budget Planning and 2019/20 Forecast Outturn), be noted.

Confidential primary school forecast data to follow/to be presented at the meeting

The Board considered a series of slides containing sensitive information concerning forecasts against available primary (Reception to Year 6 and secondary school (Years 7-11) places in the Borough.

The Board discussed the data and asked a number of questions which were responded to by the officers.

Resolved:

That the information provided on school place planning, be noted.

The Board considered a paper from the Director of Learning providing sensitive information covering a wide range of Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) and Contracts.

The Board discussed a number of specific SLA’s/Contracts and asked a number of questions which were responded to by the officers.

Resolved:

That the information concerning the SLA’s/Contacts, be noted.

21^st January 2020 at 08.15am

17^th March 2020 at 08.15am

Tuesday 21^st January 2020 at 08.15am (provisional)

Tuesday 17^th March 2020 at 08.15am (confirmed)