Agenda item

To receive an update on school funding and comments are sought from the Schools Forum on proposals from the Council for the 2014-15 Schools Block element of the Schools Budget.

The Forum received an update report on school funding and comments were sought from Forum members on proposals from the Council for the 2014-15 Schools Block element of the Schools Budget. Within the overall budget setting process, there were a number of areas that the Forum had responsibility for, and these were presented for a decision.

The views of the Schools Forum on the proposals were sought in advance of the 21 January 2014 deadline for submission to the Department for Education (DfE) and the actual Funding Formula for Schools to be used in 2014-15 with associated units of resource.

Adding together the estimated increase in Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) income of £1.352m and £0.144m draw down from the Job Evaluation Reserve, there was additional income of £1.496m for next year’s Schools Block budget. After taking account of £0.291m of savings and applying the agreed budget strategy in the development of pressures that should be funded, there was £0.404m remaining for general allocation to schools on the basis of pupil numbers, deprivation and low prior attainment. Added to this, there was around £0.5m additional income to schools from the Pupil Premium making £0.904m of unallocated funds for school use. This overall increase in funding was estimated to be around £0.156m more than the unfunded costs schools would face.

In order to take account of the most up to date cost and income forecasts, proposals in respect of the High Needs and Early Years Block budgets would be presented to the Forum for consideration at the next meeting.

RESOLVED that in its role of statutory decision maker, the Forum AGREED:

1. that the arrangements in place for the administration of central government grants were appropriate (paragraph 5.38);

2. that the initial budget amounts for School Block DSG funded services to be centrally managed by the council were as set out in Annex 1 (paragraph 5.41);

3. the revised criteria to be used from the 2013-14 financial year to allocate funds in-year to schools experiencing unavoidable costs arising from Key Stage 1 class size regulations be amended to that set out in Annex 6 (paragraphs 5.42 and 5.43).

RESOLVED that in its role as the representative body of schools and other providers of education and childcare, the Forum REQUESTED that the Executive Member AGREE the following decisions for the 2014-15 Schools Budget:

1. that a new School Expansion Rates Reserve was created to finance future anticipated cost increases arising from the school expansion programme, and that it was initially funded through a £0.112m transfer from the Schools Budget General Reserve (paragraphs 5.25 and 5.26);

2. that with effect from 1 April 2014, schools implement the £ equivalent of the Living Wage for non-teaching staff, and that £0.144m was drawn down from the Job Evaluation Reserve to fund estimated 2014-15 costs and allocated to schools through reference to pupil numbers and £0.023m for Kennel Lane Special School (paragraphs 5.19 – 5.22);

3. that the £0.180m of savings proposed on the Schools Block were agreed (paragraph 5.24);

4. the £1.496m of additional resources was allocated to the budget areas set out in Annex 3 (paragraph 5.29);

5. that in accordance with the budget strategy, the unallocated budget balance at Annex 3 of £0.404m be distributed to schools by reference to pupil numbers, deprivation and low prior attainment (paragraph 5.32);

6. that the DfE pro forma template of the BF Funding Formula for Schools as set out in Annex 7 be submitted (paragraph 5.6).

RESOLVED that the Forum NOTED the following matters:

1. that after meeting the cost of unavoidable cost pressures, schools would receive around £0.156m of unallocated funds to target towards their priorities or other local pressures (paragraph 5.46);

2. that proposals in respect of the Early Years and High Needs Block elements of the Schools Block would be presented to the Forum in March when more information was available in respect of funding and likely costs (paragraph 5.53);

3. that information in respect of funding allocations made to schools experiencing significant in-year growth in pupil numbers would be presented to the Forum in March (paragraph 5.45).

Primary School Representatives only:

4. In its role as statutory decision maker, Primary School Representatives AGREED the de-delegation of primary related Behaviour Support Services (paragraph 5.40).

Secondary School Representatives only:

5. In its role as statutory decision maker, Secondary School Representatives AGREED the de-delegation of secondary related Behaviour Support Services (paragraph 5.40).