Issue - meetings

Report ED12051

Consideration was given to a report requesting the release of funds held in the 2012/13 central contingency to the Education and Care, Bromley Pathfinder budget.  The report also updated members on progress with Bromley’s Pathfinder work since achieving Pathfinder status in September 2011 as part of a joint bid with Bexley to test the SEN & Disability Green Paper proposals. Bromley and Bexley Pathfinder was one of 20 Pathfinders agreed across England and concentrated on children with complex needs and disabilities from birth up to aged 25 years.  

Pathfinder funding of £75k for 2011/12 had been released to Bromley by the DfE in November 2011 with a further £150k in March 2012.  A bid for additional funding of up to £15k for 2012/13 had also been successful resulting in a total amount of £165k for Pathfinder work in 2012/13 being made available. Conditions on the use of the funding included repayment to the DfE if the monies were not used as set out in Bromley’s bid.  The Education Portfolio Holder spoke in support of the request to release the £165k from the Central Contingency to take forward the Pathfinder work as outlined in the report.

RESOLVED that

1)  approval be given for the release of £165k funding from the central contingency into the Pathfinder Budget to be used as detailed in paragraph 5.2 of the report; and

2)  the progress of the Bromley and Bexley SEN and Disability Green Paper Pathfinder be noted.