Agenda item

To present final proposals from the Council for the 2024-25 Schools Block (SB) and Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) elements of the Schools Budget. There is also an update in respect of the council’s bid to join the Department for Education (DfE) Safety Valve (SV) Programme.

The Forum considered the final proposals from the Council for the 2024-25 Schools Block (SB) and Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) elements of the Schools Budget. There was also a further update on the Safety Valve.

Paul Clark informed the Forum that these were the final budget proposals and build on previous reports and agreed decisions.

There were no new budget issues to consider, with decisions now being sought on the annual autumn term financial consultation with schools on a small number of matters where the majority view of school responses was being recommended. The one exception to this would be in relation to the minimum funding guarantee which was initially proposed to increase 2023-24 funding rates by at least 0.5%, however, detailed calculations with current data suggested this was not affordable, and therefore the recommendation is for no reduction in per pupil funding.

Previously identified budget proposals had also been recalculated in light of the results from the confirmed October 2023 school census. The most significant change relates to the updated Additional Educational Needs data, which presented a new unfunded pressure of £0.301m. However, other changes in income and budget proposals mean that only £0.067m of this pressure is proposed to remain unfunded.

In real terms, before the Block Transfer / top slice, the budget would mean around a 1.8% increase in funding per pupil for schools. There is an average 1.4% increase after the Block Transfer / top slice.

The Forum was also notified that whilst they had agreed a block transfer at the previous meeting, it was still subject to approval from the Secretary of State for Education as the block transfer was above 0.5%. It was expected the Secretary of State would make a decision by March. This meant that all budgets sent out would be provisional, on the basis that the Secretary of State agreed to the block transfer.

Following the Forum’s questions and comments the following points were raised:

·       The Forum noted it’s concern at the 1.7% increase in funding per pupil for schools, as members felt it would not cover rise in costs due to inflation and would therefore have a detrimental effect on schools and pupils. The Forum was further concerned on the effect of pay awards.

·       It was confirmed the proposed budget would ensure that all regulations around minimum per pupil funding would be met.

 Adding to comments on the Safety Valve mentioned during minutes and matters arising, Paul Clark informed the Forum that the Council had approved the funding to commence the preparation for the SMEH school. There was also additional funding for the secondary SRP developments, pending confirmation from the DfE that they would provide additional resources towards this provision.

RESOLVED to AGREE that after taking account of the school responses to the October 2023 financial consultation and overall affordability:

1.     Item for Maintained Primary School members only

i.   de-delegation of budgets continues for the services requested by the

     council.

Item for Maintained Secondary School members only

ii. de-delegation of budgets continues for the services requested by the

     council.

Item for all Maintained School members only (includes Special and PRU)

iii. a £20 per pupil contribution continues to be made by maintained schools

     towards the cost of delivering ‘general’ education related statutory and

     regulatory duties.

Items for all Forum members

iv. all schools receive at least the same amount of per pupil funding as

     received in 2023-24 financial year, with the £0.039m cost to be met from

     reduced funding increases for those schools receiving the largest uplifts

     in per pupil funding.

v. That the notional SEN budget quantum be determined through the actual

     number of pupils on SEN support or in receipt of an EHCP, with

     individual school Notional SEN Funding amounts calculated from the key

     proxy SEN funding factors in the NFF plus an element of core per pupil

     funding amounts.

2.              to AGREE that the Executive Member for Children, Young People and      Learning is requested to approve:

                 1. the initial changes to budgets as set out in Table 2, in particular:

                        a. that the Schools Block DSG be set at £96.308m (columns A and B                   of line 4)

                        b. that the Central School Services Block DSG be set at £0.848m

                        (column C of line 4)

                        c. that factor values in the BF Funding Formula are set at the same                 values as included by the DfE in the Dedicated Schools Grant, subject                       to:

                                    i. applying the 0.5% deduction for the transfer to the HNB

                                    ii. applying reduced funding rates to the AEN factors to the                                       level required to absorb the £0.067m unfunded pressure.

                        d. the changes to all other budgets that amount to £4.353m (column D                of line 17)

3.              to AGREE that in the event of the Secretary of State for Education not agreeing the 0.35% Schools Block transfer that is above the limit permitted        locally, that the £0.341m be placed in the LA managed Growth Fund for      later consideration.

4.              to AGREE that the Executive Director: Resources be authorised to submit   DfE      pro forma templates for the 2024-25 BF Schools Budget in       accordance with the decisions taken at this meeting.

5.              to AGREE as decision maker:

                 i. that the arrangements in place for the administration of central

                 government grants are appropriate.

                 ii. the budgets for the LA managed Growth Fund are as set out in Annex 2

                 iii. the budgets for LA managed Central School Services Block services are

                 as set out in Annex 3.

6.              to NOTE the current position on the Council’s Safety Valve proposal.