Children’s Services Cabinet Member – Minutes – 18 November 2015

18 (18) SCHOOLS FUNDING FORMULA 2016-17 – The Director of People submitted a report updating the Cabinet Member regarding the feedback from the School’s Forum in respect of consultation on the proposed funding formula changes, and seeking approval of the factors to be used for calculating the funding formula shares for mainstream schools in North Lincolnshire 2016-17.

The Department for Education (DfE) introduced new arrangements for how schools and academies were funded with effect from 1 April 2013. The Education Funding Agency (EFA) published an Operational guide annually, outlining the arrangements to help local authorities and their School’s Forums to plan the local implementation of calculation and allocation of school funding formulas for the forthcoming financial year.

The guidance set out how councils calculated individual school and academy budget shares using a range of mandatory and optional formula factors. The data sets for each factor was specified and provided by the EFA.

In 2015-16 the DFE allocated an additional £390m available to the least fairly funded local authorities. North Lincolnshire received an additional £3.7m from this funding. This increased baseline now formed part of the 2016-17 funding available for school budgets.

The report and accompanying appendix set out the proposals for the North Lincolnshire schools funding formula 2016-17.

The overall allocation of DSG included the funding for academies, which was retained by the DfE who allocated directly via the EFA. The funding for academies was based on the local authority funding formula.

Resolved – (a) That the proposed formula factors to be used to calculate the individual schools budget shares for mainstream schools within North Lincolnshire 2016-17, be approved, and (b) that the unit values to be applied to each factor will be confirmed in January 2016, once the final allocation of DSG had been made to North Lincolnshire.

19 (19)  MARK YOUR MARK 2015 – The Director of People submitted a report updating the Cabinet Member of the outcomes of Make Your Mark, the British Youth Council’s Youth Ballot.

Make Your Mark was the British Youth Council’s annual youth ballot where young people across the country had their say on issues that mattered to them.  Young people were encouraged to vote after which the results were collated and the top five issues were debated in the House of Commons by members of the UK Youth Parliament.  The outcomes helped to shape the British Youth Council’s national campaign as well as influencing local action and priority setting.

In 2014, 875,000 young people nationwide cast their vote in Make Your Mark.  Locally, 3340 young people voted which constituted 21.17% of the eligible voting turnout.  This exceeded our 17% target of 2784 votes, which was set by the British Youth Council, and constituted a year on year improvement in the number of ballots submitted.

The outcomes of Mark Your Mark 2014 were used to directly shape local action and priority setting.  Young people’s views arising from Make Your Mark significantly influenced the Children and Young People’s Plan refresh for 2015/16 and the underpinning priority actions.

In 2015, the national target was set at 1,000,000 votes.  The British Youth Council set each area a target of 21% of the eligible voting turnout, which locally translated as 2808 votes.  As a result of the council’s successes in 2014, a stretch target of 3500 votes was set.

Preparation for Make Your Mark had been led by young people themselves.  Young People had also been supported by schools, other settings and the Participation Team whom co-ordinated and led specific school assemblies, promotional stalls at events and focused visits to schools.  Twenty educational establishments engaged in the process.

Resolved – That the success and outcomes of Mark Your Mark, as set out in the report, be noted.

The corresponding report of the following item (Minute 20 refers) contains exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

20 (20) KINGFISHER LODGE CHILDREN’S HOME STATEMENT OF PURPOSE – The Director of Places submitted a report seeking approval for the Statement of Purpose for Kingfisher Lodge Children’s Home in North Lincolnshire.

Children’s homes were required by the Children’s Homes Regulations including the Quality Standards (updated April 2015) to have in place a Statement of Purpose that was reviewed on a regular basis and updated as appropriate.

The Statement of Purpose was an integral component of the annual inspections of the children’s homes undertaken by OfSTED.

Kingfisher Lodge was a Children’s home and as such a Statement of Purpose had been prepared in order to meet Regulatory requirements. The Statement of purpose reflected the revised and newly implemented Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards which came into force in April 2015. These placed the child at the centre of planning and support and focused on safeguarding children and achieving positive outcomes.

Resolved – That the Kingfisher Lodge Children’s Home Statement of Purpose be approved.

Note: where there is no report this is because it is exempt, as it contains information which is considered to be of a confidential nature, as detailed in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act.