Minutes:
Susan Woodland reported that SBC schools finance staff had attended a number of meetings with the DfE and other LAs. Discussions had included:
Ø Spending review in 2021, with the intention to move to the hard NFF. Neither the required primary legislation or a timetable was yet in place;
Ø Consideration of methods to move towards NFF;
Ø Expectation that the spending in Central Block would reduce;
Ø Review of negative DSG balances, the impact and how this could be managed nationwide;
Ø A recruitment pool for teachers (following an approach to the DfE) was being considered and a website was being developed;
Ø Further developments to SFVS;
Ø Reviewing of SEN top-ups and the relationships between academies and LAs;
Ø Review of Scheme for Financing Schools, with information due out in the near future.
It was noted that a number of issues around High Needs spend, across the country, were emerging. A member asked what would happen as negative DSG balances increased. Susan Woodland confirmed the majority were impacting on High Needs and Councils, which the DfE was aware of and were investigating.
In answer to a query as to whether SBC’s reserves were healthy, it was explained this had been taken to full Council in February 2018. The following link refers (see Appendix C of report at link):
http://www.slough.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/s50503/Report%20and%20Appendices.pdf