Issue - meetings

Report CEF22044

The report provided the CEF provisional outturn position for 2021/22.

The Forum noted the significant continuing financial pressures with deficits emerging in the Dedicated Schools Grant around High Needs.  The deficits had been declared to the DfE and discussions were taking place around recovery plans to reduce the deficit.  The Director of Education reported that a first meeting had taken place with the ESFA (Education Skills Funding Agency) and DfE and discussions had been positive with a recognition of the work that was ongoing on the Local Authority’s deficit recovery plan.  Bromley’s deficit recovery plan was currently in draft form and would be presented to the Schools’ Forum, the Children, Education and Families PDS Committee and the SEND Governance Board in September 2022.

The Forum discussed the systematic challenges to be addressed in respect of high needs funding, noting that 24 of the 32 London boroughs had entered a deficit position before LB Bromley.  In addition, a number of local authorities had found themselves subject to the DfE’s “Safety Valve” – directly accountable to the DfE on a set of challenging and robust deficit recovery arrangements. 

In response to a question, the Director of Education confirmed that the Local Authority continually pursued the efficient use of public money and was seeking to reduce reliance on high cost out-of-borough independent placements.  One of the key national policy issues was to address the disconnect between parental expectation and what could be afforded locally, especially going forward in the context of exponential cost rises associated with increasing inflationary pressures.

The Forum heard that whilst it was early days, the increased use of mediation appeared to be having a positive impact and additionally evidence of some progress in the tribunal decisions being reached.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted