Agenda and minutes

11.1     The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting on 13 July 2015.

12.1     A copy of the reports referred to below are contained in the minute book.

Disclosure by all Members present of personal interests in matters on the Agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Member regards the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct

13.1     Councillor Barnes declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in relation to agenda item 6 (see minute 16) as he is Chair of the Etchingham Trust of Sport and Recreation.

13.2     Councillor Field declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in relation to agenda item 6 (see minute 16) as she is Chair of Battle Pre-School.

Report by the Director of Children’s Services

14.1     The Lead Member for Learning and School Effectiveness considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which sought approval to make changes to the discretionary SEND transport provision from the 2016/17 academic year.

14.2     RESOLVED to approve the implementation of the proposals set out below in order to reduce spend on the discretionary home to school transport (HTST) budget from the start of the academic year.

i.                  offer support to those demonstrating the ‘highest level of need’ only by introducing tighter ‘exceptions’ criteria for post-16 SEND students and offering the most cost-effective support, as set out in a post-16 SEND transport policy. This would apply only to new applicants from September 2016;

ii.                increase the current post-16 transport contribution from £370 to £608 (the 2015 cost of a bus Freedom ticket);

iii.               introduce a 50% rate of contribution for low income families, at £304 and

iv.               introduce an annual contribution for pre-school SEND travel assistance at the same rates as post-16 travel (£608 / £304).

Reasons

14.3     It is anticipated that East Sussex County Council (ESCC) will need to reduce expenditure by £70-90 million between 2016/17 and 2018/19 and all areas will need to be considered.

Report by the Director of Children’s Services

15.1     The Lead Member for Learning and School Effectiveness considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which sought approval to make changes to the discretionary Low Income Families (LIF) and Further Education Link transport provision from the 2016/17 academic year.

15.2     RESOLVED to approve the implementation of the proposals set out below in order to reduce spend on the discretionary home to school transport (HTST) budget from the start of the 2016/17 academic year.

i.         to withdraw the current offer of free or subsidised travel (travel passes, travel grants, free places on school coaches) for 16-19 year old sixth form or college students from low income families;

ii.        to cease provision for a small number of 16-19 year old students who live in rural locations and who receive free ‘link transport’ to the nearest suitable bus stop or train station ; and

iii     to retain 25% of the former budget (£60k) to provide a hardship fund, for access by the most disadvantaged young people, in order to ensure that they can still get some support to help them get to sixth form or college.

Reasons

15.3     It is anticipated that East Sussex County Council (ESCC) will need to reduce expenditure by £70-90 million between 2016/17 and 2018/19 and all areas will need to be considered.

Report by the Director of Children’s Services

16.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Service which sought approval to make changes to the Schools Funding Formula for the 2016/17 financial year. Written representations were received from the following schools and were considered by the Lead Member.

·        Etchingham Church of England Primary School;

·        Mayfield Church of England Primary School;

·        Catsfield Church of England Primary School;

·        Buxted and Bonners Church of England Primary School;

·        Chailey St Peters Church of England Primary School;

·        Laughton Primary School;

·        Netherfield Church of England Primary School; and

·        Burwash Church of England Primary School.

A written representation from Councillor John Barnes was also considered.

16.2     RESOLVED (1) to approve the changes as set out below to the Schools Funding Formula for the 2016/17 financial year;

i.             The Lump Sum is reduced across all phases by £5,000 with the arising pot to be put back into the per pupil rate for each phase, after the allocation of any Sparsity Funding;

ii.            Sparsity is introduced as a new factor to the East Sussex Formula, with a £5,000 allocation for each qualifying school; and

iii.          To decrease from 3% to 1.5% the Capping percentage applied to the permitted increase in per pupil funding.

                     (2) agree to review as part of the Schools Forum budget setting process for 2017-18 the impact of these changes on the schools affected to ensure they are in line with the direction of travel which the new national funding arrangements might take and that this be taken up in the structure that exists within the School Forum’s Formula Funding Working Group (FFWG) in Spring 2016; and

(3) agree that the outcome of both the above mentioned review and the operational impact of the changes and their affect on schools are taken into account as part of the annual schools funding formula report.

Reasons

16.3     The Schools Forum and schools have been consulted on the proposed formula change and the majority of the respondents agreed with the proposed change.

16.4     The Lead Member asked that the impact of the above changes on schools be reviewed.  The operational impact of these changes can then be considered in the next annual schools funding formula report.

Report by the Director of Children’s Services

17.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which sought approval to consult on the admission arrangements from the 2017/18 school year.

17.2     RESOLVED to approve consultation on the following proposed admission arrangements for the 2017/18 school year:

i.              To adopt the admission priorities currently in use for Frant CE Primary school for all community and voluntary controlled schools in East Sussex;

ii.            To change the measurement of home to school distance from shortest walking route to straight line;

iii.           To allow applications received after the closing date due to verified house move or other material change of circumstances to be treated as on time if received before a second deadline;

iv.          The proposed admissions numbers; and

v.           The proposed co-ordinated admissions schemes.

Reasons

17.3     The County Council is required by law to carry out consultation on admissions arrangements every seven years or sooner if there are any changes to those arrangements relating to schools where the local authority is the admission authority.