Somerset Children and Young People’s CompactExecutive
Summary of Discussions:
Wednesday21 January2015, 14:00 – 17:00
Library Meeting Room, Taunton
Attendees:
Early Years:Rachel Parish and Rachel O’Malley
SGSG: Eilleen Tipper
SAPHTO: Phil Burner (Chair)
SASH: David Derbyshire
SAHSP: Alison Murkin and Liz Hayward
Schools Forum:Helen Rogerson
Cabinet Lead for Children and Families: Cllr Frances Nicholson
Director of Children’s Services (Interim): Rose Collinson (items 4 onwards)
Executive Officers: David Hayward (SAPHTO), Richard Graydon (SASH), Rob Benzie (SASH), Harry Dicks (SAHSP), Sue Gray (Early Years), Helen Roper (SGSG), Susan Fielden
Strategic Commissioner (Education outcomes and VL): Dave Farrow
Strategic Commissioner (Sufficiency): Julia Ridge
LA Finance Representation: Sharon Campbell
SSE Project Director: Kay Allen
Business Support: Jo Sangster and Sophie Crabb
Apologies:Heather Barraclough (SAPHTO), Anna Winch (SASH)
Item / Action1a. / Apologies, Welcomes and Declaration of Interests
Phil Burner (PB) welcomed everyone to the meetings and apologies were noted as above. No declarations of interest were declared.
1b. / Appointment of Vice Chair
Alison Murkin (AM) was appointed as Vice Chair of the Executive.
1c. / Future arrangements for support of Compact meetings
Dave Farrow (DF) presented the paper attached, which sets out the background to the Compact, current support and options for the future. The recent change of Chair and Susan Fielden’s (SF) secondment to the DfE provide a good opportunity to reflect on the role and support requirements for the Compact, and the links with the Schools Forum and Somerset Children’s Trust.
The following points were made during discussion:
- There are gaps in the current membership of the Compact in relation to Health, Social Care, service users or FE colleges;
- Those colleagues who attend two or three of the key meetings remain unclear about the links;
- A combined group (Compact, SCT and Schools Forum) would cover the full range of services for children but may be unmanageably large and could risk loss of focus;
- The priorities for the Compact are not too dissimilar to those set out in the County Plan and the Somerset Children and Young People’s Plan but the mapping, linkages and interconnections are not clear;
- The priorities and ambitions for children cannot be achieved without input from others, requiring effective partnership across a range of agencies working with children, particularly those with the greatest need;
- One of the initial drivers for the creation of the Compact was the need to co-constructservices in the light of budget cuts, academisation and corporate structure changes but that much of this work had now been done, or at least the SSE structure provided a clear mechanism for its completion;
- Concern was expressed about the drive for Health and Social Care to work with education professionals, given experience at the SEND Strategy Board, and despite the Children & Families Act making joint commissioning a legal requirement the reality will come down to capacity and resources;
- Whilst there is a need to avoid duplication and repetition of discussion over issues and proposals, concern was expressed about the Somerset Children’s Trust and Health & Well Being Board trying to cover everything.
Action: DF to confirm arrangements for the T&F Group meeting and to make appropriate cover arrangements in the interim period (including the March meeting). / Dave Farrow
2. / Compact Executive Business and Governance
- Notes of the 3 December 2014 Meeting and Bulletin
Matters Arising
- Item 6 – Kay Allen (KA) has had initial discussions with Jeff Brown regarding the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and potential links with SSE. Kay advised that SSTEP inclusion was already in hand but noted that LA budget pressures remain a concern. SF confirmed that the proposed budget for curriculum enrichment contains sufficient headroom to provide tapered support for this service should the Compact Executive decide to approve it. This needs to be confirmed at the March meeting.
- Item 12 – DF has yet to write a list of expectations of an Executive Office. Carried forward.
Part 2 / Education Budget 2015/16
3. / Budget position – 2015/16
3a. / Compact Executive – Agreed Statement
SF presented the slides summarising the key outcomes from the 3 December budget focused meeting (circulated with agenda), which had been used to brief RC and FN. Whilst it was used to inform decisions,the Schools Forum had not been able to reach clear conclusions about the overall Schools Budget as the pressures exceeded the forecast grant.
The Compact discussed the statement and agreed for its use as background papers for both LA Medium Term Financial Plan proposals (MTFP) and any Key Decisions on the Schools Budget.
Action: Sharon Campbell (SC) to ensure that the Compact Statement is available as background papers for decisions relating to education budgets for 2015/16. / Sharon Campbell
3b. / Local Authority Medium Term Financial Plan proposals
SC confirmed that there has been no change to the MTFP proposals since the last meeting. Savings options continue to be as set out in the pink papers for the December Compact meeting. The full proposal papers regarding MTFP savings will be published 22/01/15 for Scrutiny Committee. Most decisions are being taken by Directors/Officers with only a small number of significant savings being considered by the Cabinet (first considered by Scrutiny).
Of the sevenCabinet decisions, only one relates to education provision. This is a combination of £350k reduction in Early Years training through SCIL[1] and a £611k reduction from the Schools Improvement budget. The two savings have been brought together as they both relate to support to improve the quality of education and the development of the education workforce. The size of the combined saving together with the impact on County Council priorities warrants Cabinet consideration. Some mitigation of the impact, in the first year, may be possible if underspends from these budgets in the current year could be carried forward.
JR advised that transport savings will not be going to Cabinet in February as legal advisers have confirmed that further consultation needs to take place.
Action: DF to rearrange SEND Board meeting to allow Compact representatives to attend Scrutiny on the 30/01/15. / Dave Farrow
3c. / Schools Budget – proposals for central retention of Dedicated Schools Grant
The Compact Executive received feedback from the Schools Forum at which pressures across all areas amounted to more than the anticipated level of grant funding. The shortfall was estimated at £1.2m.
FN confirmed that, taking into consideration the views of the Schools Forum and the Compact Executive, she decided to reduce all pupil funding slightly, in the Key Decision on Formula values. This reflected concern at Forum that a decision to increase formula values by 1% on average, would require the full impact of the budget shortfall to fall on provision for vulnerable and high needs pupils. Whilst recognising the very real inflationary pressures facing schools, the decision had still allowed for approximately 0.9% increase in formula values, set against a real terms cut in the values in the Early Years formula. This decision reduced the budget shortfall by £0.3m. It was noted that this was not the recommendation of the Schools Forum and the Cabinet member had taken this into account. Whilst this was recognised as a difficult situation and a sensible compromise, the Compact Executive sought reassurance that this would not become the norm.
Before considering scope for further reductions in central retention, SF confirmed that the £200k set aside within the central Schools Block expenditure for fees to independent schools for Children Looked After without SEN (see Schools Forum paper 5a, circulated with agenda) was for 30 children. This information had not been available at the Forum meeting. This represents an average cost that is less than the standard budget for a High Needs place (£10,000).
SF presented 3 suggestions for savings in the proposals for Combined Budgets:
- Compact and Collaboration (proposed £778,400)
- Improvements through collaboration (proposed £990,000)
A further reduction in the curriculum enrichment and development budget of £0.1m would still leave a development fund of £35k which could be discussed between Executive Officers and the SSE Head of Education Effectiveness for development of a curriculum traded services offer;
- Vulnerable Learners (proposed £3,460,700 (incl. £993,100 VL services)
The combined impact of the proposals would be a reduction in Combined Budgets of £0.208m, with a further £0.05m reduction in the High Needs pressure.
A discussion took place over a proposed £200k increase in the PFSA budget to account for inflation, management costs and to increase capacity. The request for this has come out from the PFSA Working Group. While it was agreed that the work of the PFSAs is very important it was felt that as management has been taking place that an increase to cover this is not necessary. A proposal was also made that if, once data has been analysed, it becomes clear that demands and capacity have changed then reallocation within budget may need to be looked at rather than an assumption of increased capacity. It was agreed to continue with the budget proposal but only to authorise the contractual inflation increase at this stage.
Action: SF to ask Phil Lincoln to report back on the analysis completed through the Working Group with proposals for management cost funding and changes to capacity for implementation no earlier than September 2015.
Helen Rogerson, Chair of Schools Forum, (HR) raised a concern about the competing demands against the Dedicated Schools Budget and the lack of a clear framework for prioritisation. She fed back that some schools will be in deficit over the next couple of years due to declining numbers and reduced funding (in comparison to rising cost pressures). The Schools Forum has expressed interest in working with the Compact Executive to further review central budgets in order to try to balance competing demands.
The Compact Executive agreed to the suggested savings as above.
Action: SF to summarise the proposal for changes to Combined Budgets for the Schools Forum meeting in March. / Susan Fielden
Future agenda item
Susan Fielden
4. / High Needs Budget – 2015/16
DF presented the attached breakdown on the High Needs budget. This will be taken to the High Needs Sub Group on the 11/02/15, and the group will look at in detail. Schools representation at this meeting is vital.
Action:
Executive Officers to ensure adequate attendance for this important meeting.
HR to ask Schools Forum Vice Chair to attend.
The following points were noted during discussion:
- There is a potential £0.6m underspend in the Post 16 high needs top up budget in the current year, linked to the development of effective communication, planning and audit arrangements with FE colleges. However, the proportion of post 16 students receiving tops ups in Somerset is almost double the national average so there is potential for further savings. As a result, a further reduction in the proposed budget for 2015/16 will be considered, which could significant contribute to addressing the Schools Budget shortfall.
- A review of high needs top up is a priority, looking at the consistency, criteria, value and purpose. DF will also be appointing someone to look at out of county and in county placements but achieving a more cost-effective balance will not be a quick fix. Some support from DSG reserves may be required in the short term. There is a robust procedure for out of county placements and any movements would need to be in the best interests of the young person rather than simply to achieve savings. DF is also meeting with Special School Heads on the 05/02/15 to discuss placements, top-up funding and strategic developments.
- In relation to shared placements (Education, Social Care and Health), SC advised that the overspend forecast on the pooled budget[2] was not being reflected in an increased local authority budget for 2015/16, with an expectation that either costs are reduced or savings are made elsewhere.
Action: DF will advise Compact Executive of any budget decisions that will have an impact on provision for children or support for settings and schools. / Executive Officers
Helen Rogerson
Dave Farrow
Part 3 / Key areas for feedback and engagement
5. / Policies and Principles of School Place Planning
JR gave the attached presentation and the following points were made:
- The current policies and principles are out of date.
- If an Early Years setting is not rated Good or Outstanding the LA cannot fund 2 year old places.
- Secondary schools ‘accommodation range’ is not the maximum capacity range that the school has set.
- The Local Authority is cautious as to whether all parents would consider a Steiner School to be an appropriate education offer. RC said that may need to reflect in the principles around expecting a rich and rounder curriculum. The agreed principles would then be a response to the DfE when consulted on Free Schools.
- ET raised the issue of using rooms for pupils with special needs reduces the space available.
- Action: RB requested that a paper be produced that he could take to SASH colleagues, with proposals.
- Action: JR to talk to DF about possible slot at Primary Heads meeting in February.
- Action: AM to work with JR regarding Special Schools.
Julia Ridge
Alison Murkin/
Julia Ridge
6. / Tier 2 and 3 Provision
DF asked if the Compact would support the creation of a strategy across all phases, involving Health and Social Care, around Tier 2 and 3 provision for Social, Emotional and Mental Health.
Action: DF to write a proposal for a piece of joint commissioning work and discuss with the Executive Officers. / Dave Farrow
Part 4 / Compact Business (continued)
7. / Support Services for Education (SSE) Project Update
KA gave the attached presentation. Representation of the Compact on the Transition Management Board was discussed and it was agreed that a representative from Client Group would be better placed.
Action: Client Group to be advised of the Compact’s request for a representative.
The implications for “full cost recovery” were discussed and KA explained that the changes in traded service prices over the medium term had already been discussed with the Client Group but that further resolution was needed in respect of core services funded from central Schools Budget and the Local Authority. The cost of overheads is expected to change over coming years with the change in Southwest One arrangements and a closer understanding of actual support service requirements for the SSE business. / Jo Sangster
8. / Communications, Issues/Updates from Associations, Information Items and update papers
The members of the Compact Executive congratulated Susan on her secondment to the DfE, thanked her for all her hard work and dedication over the years and wished her well for the future.
9. / Dates and Venues of Future Compact Executive Meetings:
Wednesday 18 March – 14:00 – 17:00, Taunton Library
Wednesday 29 April – 14:00 – 17:00, Taunton Library
Wednesday 13 May – 14:00 – 17:00, Taunton Library
Wednesday 24 June – WHOLE DAY
1
[1] Somerset Centre for Integrated Learning, part of Support Services for Education.
[2] A pooled budget was established shortly after the creation of Children’s Services, to allow for placement decisions for children with complex care and education needs to take place without delay over arrangements to split costs. The budget was originally £250,000 from each of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG, High Needs) and the LA (Social Care placement budget). Much of the provision is full year, full time in specialist residential schools. The budget is very significantly over-committed in the current year and the forward year.