Hampshire Governors' Representative Group
 
Notes of Meeting
10th December 1996
 
 
Present:  Steve Pease SW        John Bailey SW
          Eileen Bishop NE      John Brailsford SE
          Vernon Petherick SE   Ian Stemp SE
          Hugh Deed NE          Janet Sheriton - Clerk
 
          Rob Hendry - Special Heads Conference
          Paul Skinner - Special Heads Conference
          David Jones - Secondary Heads Conference
          Ken Shorey - Secondary Heads Conference
          John Gawthorpe - Primary Heads Conference
          June Brown - Primary Heads Conference
 
          Peter Coles - HCC
          Hilary Thompson - HCC
 
1.   Apologies:     Jim Watt (SW);       Peter Whitmarsh (NE);
                    Terry Tillman (NE);  Bryan Bailey (CE);
                    Peter High (CE).
 
PART 1.
 
     The Chairman welcomed Headteachers' representatives to
     the meeting.
 
2.   Education Budget Prospects for 97/8.
 
     Peter Coles and Hilary Thompson brought HGRG up-to-date
     with prospects following the Chancellor's Autumn
     Statement.  Although things were not as bad as they might
     have been, the headline figures coming from central
     government were misleading.  The news for Education in
     Hampshire was gloomy.  Overall the County Council had a
     £14 million gap between its likely resource and its
     spending needs.  Schools still remained a priority but
     accounted for 47% of the budget so could not be fully
     protected from the problem.  Current plans were to give
     schools a 1.5% cash increase.  Whilst Education's target
     for reduced spending was lower than other services we
     would still need to find £4.5 million.  A paper
     containing a range of options for making savings was
     tabled.
 
3.   Headteacher Presentations
 
     Secondary -    Ken Shorey and David Jones spoke to the
               paper attached to these minutes.
 
     Primary   -    John Gawthorpe and June Brown spoke to the
               paper attached.
 
     Special   -    Paul Skinner and Rob Hendry spoke to the
               attached paper.
 
     Replies to Questions - Discussion Points
 
     -    Out of county SEN placements are £250k higher than
          expected, although we are educating children in
          Hampshire who would have previously been placed
          outside the county.
 
     -    HCC is likely to cut capital funding to protect the
          revenue budget.
 
     -    System of negotiating teachers' pay awards needs to
          be changed if increases granted are not going to be
          fully funded.
 
     -    It is important to fund statutory provision and it
          may be necessary to take a radical look at all
          "discretionary" items in the budget.
 
     -    No further that schools can go in reducing spending.
          In a year's time we may be looking at the loss of
          whole subjects.
 
     -    HGRG would like to go back to Hampshire MPs with the
          budget realities.  The CEO agreed to provide
          information.
 
     -    Schools would need a 2.7% cash increase to stand
          still on staffing.
 
     The Chairman thanked the Headteachers and Officers for
     their presentations and they left the meeting.
 
PART 2
 
4.   HGRG Budget Presentation
 
     Following considerable discussion the major points to be
     made to the Education Committee consultation meeting were
     agreed.  The Chairman would produce the overheads.
 
5.   HGRG Reps for Budget Meeting on 17/12/96 were agreed as:-
 
          Hugh Deed
          Eileen Bishop
          and either Peter Whitmarsh or Jim Watt
 
6.   Any Other Urgent Matters
 
     NE patches had met with their two Area Education Officers
     and agreed to a programme of 1 patch forum meeting per
     term to be attended by the Area Education Officer.
 
     The meeting closed at 9.00 p.m.

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