Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The Chair drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

Members of the Panel had received guidance from the Council’s Monitoring Officer that no member of the Panel on this occasion could be a School Governor or employed at a school.

Councillors Matt Cochrane, Sally Davis, Peter Turner, Michelle O’Doherty and Liz Hardman had sent their apologies to the Panel.

In their place as substitutes for the duration of the meeting were Councillors Michael Evans, Anthony Clarke, Lisa O’Brien, Richard Samuel and Robin Moss.

Apologies were also received from co-opted members David Williams, Andrew Tarrant and Kevin Burnett.

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest,  (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officer or a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

Councillor Anthony Clarke declared an other interest as he has grandchildren that attend schools within B&NES.

All statements were regarding the Call-In of decision E3019: School Funding Formula and therefore would be received at item 7.

This report sets out the call-in received by 10 Councillors of the decision relating to the agreed implementation of the new National Funding Formula (NFF) methodology that is planned to be adopted from the 2018-19 financial year.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson addressed the Panel. She said that she had signed the Call-In as schools in areas of social deprivation would be affected by the decision.

She spoke in respect of St. Nicholas Primary School, where she was a governor, and therefore knew that finances at schools are so stretched and the pressures they are under.

She said that the Governments assumption of a formula that one size fits all is wrong and will be implemented with indecent haste as with Universal Credit.

She did not feel that there was enough transparency and accountability to the decision and ultimately did not believe that any teacher would want their pupils to benefit over others.

She asked that the Panel uphold the Call-In and that tapering of the funding be investigated further.

Councillor Michael Evans commented that St Nicholas Primary School would in fact benefit by an additional £12,000 under the NFF.

Councillor Liz Hardman addressed the Panel. A copy of the statement can be found on the Panel’s Minute Book, a summary is set out below.

There are advantages to moving to the National Funding Formula now:

• All schools will benefit from an increase in their budget with a minimum of at least 0.5% extra spending per pupil.

• We have to adopt this National Funding Formula in 2020, so why not do it now?

However, although the National Funding Formula has its merits in that schools will get funding for a greater number of disadvantaged children, because the money is now spread more thinly, children living in areas of high deprivation will attract less funding than before.

The dilemma, continue with the current funding formula, where schools with our most disadvantaged pupils get more funding or adopt the new formula which will give all schools more money, but those schools in  some of the most disadvantaged areas of B&NES will face a loss of up to £155,000, such as Twerton Infant and Junior Schools.

There is in fact a middle way, which is why I am supporting the “Call In”. The B&NES Labour Group has suggested the following: The new National Funding Formula would be implemented immediately, but through drawing down a modest amount from Council Reserves, there would be a buffer to lessen the impact on those schools which would lose out most. No schools would lose out in cash terms, but those schools who may have expected a larger income than would be forthcoming, would be helped to adjust. This would mean In Year 1, the cost would be £467,000 and in year 2, £233,500, a total of £700,500.

This would mean in Year 1 all schools get a best possible scenario financial settlement and this is then tapered in year 2 to help schools adjust from the real impact of the National Funding Formula 2020.

With a modest amount from Council Reserves we could be investing our money in our disadvantaged young people, in enabling schools in our most disadvantaged areas to adjust  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.