(i)
Cabinet Decision 13
December 2016 OO
(please see pg. 5 of the link below)
(ii) Report on the research work
into the budget and increased deficit of Tywyn School OO
(iii) Up-date on the Service Level Agreements 2017/18
to 2019/20 OO
Minutes:
(i)
The Cabinet’s decision on
13 December 2016
The Senior Manager - Education Resources Service reminded the Forum of
discussions that had been held at the last meeting on the Cabinet Member's
decision to present the concern of the secondary sector schools that the total
number of pupils would fall in 2017/18 but increase the subsequent two years. A
request had been made for the Cabinet Member for Education to consider a
bridging scheme to assist schools in difficult financial positions so that
individual schools could avoid staff redundancy and having to re-appoint staff
within a relatively short period.
The Senior Manager -
Education Resources Service drew the Forum's attention to the Cabinet's
decision at its meeting on 13 December 2016 as follows:
“
(i)
That the Cabinet commissions a plan for inclusion in our 2017/18 Strategic
Plan to assess where the protection line should be for the Secondary Sector so
as to use this information when setting the budget for 2018/19;
(ii)
Accepting that discussions have started with stakeholders on assessing
the problem, it should be underlined that the new Council needs to consider the
results of these discussions early on in the Council’s lifetime so as to
establish a long term sustainable solution for the Secondary sector;
(iii)
So as to buy time for this to happen, that the Cabinet Member for
Resources be asked to try and bridge for two years the £298,990 that the
Secondary sector is expected to find to be financed from balances;
(iv)
In order to avoid wasting resources through redundancy and
re-employment, that the Cabinet Member for Resources also be asked to consider
including bridging finance in his budget for 2017/18 for those schools that
would lose money because of the reduction in pupil numbers and to also consider
the use of individual school balances in any proposed scheme. ”
In
response, he noted the appreciation of the secondary sector of the above
decision and action that would assist individual schools.
Resolved: To accept and note the above.
(ii)
Report on research
into Ysgol Tywyn's budget and increased financial
deficit
The Senior Manager -
Education Resources Service drew the Forum's attention to the Council's
decision as outlined in point 2.1 (i) in order to assess the protection
line. To this end, it was noted that
work had been commissioned on the budgetary positions of Ysgol y Berwyn and
Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn.
Resolved: To
accept and note the above.
(iii)
Update on Service
Level Agreements 2017/18 to 2019/20
The Senior Manager - Education Resources Service reported that all the services had submitted
Service Level Agreements for 2017/18 but it was further noted that two services
had asked for the service to be extended for a year due to establishing the
Area Offices and the appointment of Area Business Officers (namely Education
Support Unit [primary] SLA and Personnel, Salaries and support SLA).
In the context of an agreement with the CYNNAL company,
the Education Service had succeeded in obtaining a reduction in the price and
school allocations would be reduced to reflect this reduction. It was noted there would be no financial
impact on schools.
In terms of the Grounds Maintenance SLA, there was a wish
to extend the current contract for a year in order to allow the service to
identify the needs of individual schools.
A Head teacher noted that it was hoped that the above
mentioned service would visit every site to discuss the needs.
In response to an enquiry regarding the services for
Ysgol Bro Idris, it was explained that the Education Service was currently in
discussions with the Headteacher.
Resolved: To accept and note the above.