Cornwall Schools Forum - 27 February 2026

**Meeting formalities and administrative matters**

The Council recorded no declarations of interest. Resolutions were passed to approve the minutes of the regular meeting held on 12 December 2025 and the extraordinary meeting on 9 January 2026, both to be signed by the Chairman. The Democratic Services Officer reported two vacancies: one within the Academy sector and one in the Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) sector.

**Education effectiveness update**

The Head of Education Effectiveness Cornwall gave a verbal update on progress against the work plan and noted that the implications of the forthcoming White Paper for the Forum would be added to the work plan for June. No further action was required at this stage.

**Financial report and SEND Stability Grant**

The Finance Analyst presented the previously circulated financial report. During the subsequent discussion, members were informed that the SEND Stability Grant will be introduced in the next fiscal year, allowing the Department for Education (DfE) to cover 90 % of any deficit reported by the Local Authority as of March 2026, provided a plan is submitted and approved. Concerns were raised about the grant’s conditions and its long‑term impact on Inclusion and Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision over the next two to four years. The Board thanked the analyst for the report.

**Budget threshold and autonomy debate**

The Head of Education Effectiveness Cornwall also presented a report on budgeting thresholds. The debate highlighted research indicating that many Local Authorities prefer not to implement a budget claw‑back from schools. A 15 % threshold was discussed as a means to give schools greater autonomy, compared with the 8 % threshold typically used by authorities with a larger number of maintained schools. The maintained nursery representative cautioned that the threshold should be calculated on total funding rather than solely on Dedicated School Grant (DSG) funding, because many nursery schools receive a substantial share of income from parental contributions. The PVI representative noted that roughly 30 % of their income derives from parental fees.

**Policy endorsement**

A motion moved by Val Royston and seconded by Bill Marshall was passed, resolving that the Forum endorses the policy and the Local Authority’s preferred option—Option 2, which does not require a formal plan but instead calls for the Authority to proactively engage in conversations with schools whose balances exceed the 15 % threshold. This resolution formalises the Council’s approach to budget management and school autonomy moving forward.