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Decision details

Decision details

2017-18 School Revenue Funding Arrangements and Dedicated Schools Grant Budget

Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for Education

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:


(TAKE IN REPORT)

 


The report was introduced by Richard Webb, Finance Manager. 

 

Richard explained that following the decision meeting today, the report and proposals would be considered and endorsed by the Schools Forum on Wednesday 18th January. 

 

Officers had met with the Chair of the Schools Forum the previous week to discuss the proposed changes to the school revenue funding formula detailed in section 5 of the report.  As a result of these discussions, officers were proposing to revise recommendation a).  The revised recommendation was that the Cabinet Member agrees the proposed changes to the revenue funding formula for 2017-18 as set out in section 5 of the report, but invites the Schools Forum to consider and agree whether to adopt one of the four alternative proposals whilst remaining within the current allocation.  Richard circulated the proposed amendments to the recommendations to members and officers. 

 

Richard advised that Alison Egerton, Group Accountant, had modelled four options to balance the DSG and circulated a draft to members.  Alison explained the four options and the potential impact of these. Alison Jeffery, Director of Children's Services, added that she felt that schools may wish to adopt more than one of these proposals.  She suggested that officers' model a fifth option and provide detailed options for the Schools Forum meeting on Wednesday.

 

Richard also advised that officers were proposing to give the Schools Forum an additional option for the AP top-up funding rate for Harbour School.  It was proposed this would be an additional recommendation under recommendation j). 

 

Councillor Young thanked officers for all their hard work in preparing the report said that he was happy to support the revised recommendations as previously circulated. 

DECISIONS: The Cabinet Member:

 

(a)    Agreed the proposed changes to the mainstream schools revenue funding formula as set out in section 5.
However, following the feedback and suggestions from Schools Forum Members, the Cabinet Member would like to invite Schools Forum to consider and agree whether to adopt one of the following alternative proposals to the school revenue funding formula arrangements for 2017-18, which must remain affordable within the funding allocation of £107,561,752:

(i)            Reduce the cap on financial gains and use the funding released to increase the Basic Per Pupil Entitlement funding rate.

(ii)          Reduce the primary and secondary lump sum and use the funding released to increase the Basic Per Pupil Entitlement funding rate.

(iii)         Reduce both the cap on financial gains as well as the primary and secondary lump sum and use the funding released to increase the Basic Per Pupil Entitlement funding rate.

(b)  Agreed to the de-delegation of:

 

                       i.  funding for Behaviour Support Services for the period April to August 2017 (primary only).

                         ii.  funding to contribute to the costs of services provided to maintained schools previously funded from the ESG general funding rate.

 

(c) Agreed the de-delegated unit values for 2017-18 as shown at Appendix 4.

 

(d)  Agreed the carry-forward of the final balance of the Schools Contingency Fund from 2016-17 into 2017-18 for use for the same purpose.

 

(e)  Agreed the amount of the growth fund for 2017-18 at £275,300.

 

(f)   Noted the estimated pressures on the Growth Fund for 2018-19 and the proposals to consult with schools on changes to the growth fund criteria.

 

(g)  Agreed the school revenue funding pro-forma at Appendix 7 for submission to the EFA on the 20 January 2017 subject to any amendments agreed at recommendation (a). 

 

(h)  Agreed the determination of the 2017-18 schools budget (including the individual schools budgets) shown at Appendix 1, together with the supporting explanations contained within this report and specifically agree the following budget lines:

                                               i.    Admissions;

                                              ii.    Schools Forum;

                                             iii.    ESG retained duties.

 

(i)    Agreed the 2017-18 Element 3 Top-up rates for the Special Schools Resourced Units and Alternative Provision (Flying Bull only) settings as set out in Appendix 5.

 

(j)    Invited the views of Schools Forum and seek their agreement to adopt one of the following options in respect of the AP top-up funding rate for the Harbour School:

 

i.       Maintain the AP top-up funding rate at the current £6,000 per annum.

ii.      Increase the AP top-up funding rate from £6,000 to £8,000 per annum and a further reduction in the Basic Per Pupil Funding rate for mainstream schools by £4.63.

iii.    Increase the AP top-up funding rate from £6,000 to £7,000 per annum and a further reduction in the Basic Per Pupil Funding rate for mainstream schools by £2.32.

iv.    Increase the AP top-up funding rate from £6,000 to £8,000 per annum and reduce the number of AP commissioned places by 6 from 111 to 105 from April 2017.

 

(k)  Agreed the decision that any carry-forward balances from 2016-17 be used to assist with the continued introduction of the funding reform changes and fund any potential financial pressures arising during 2017-18.


 

(l)    Noted that a report will be presented in February 2017 setting out:

 

i.       The local funding arrangements in respect of the 2, 3 and 4 year old early years provision for 2017-18; which will comply with the requirements of both the regulations and the operational guide.

ii.             The necessary amendments to the 2017-18 budget, in order to reflect the new Early Years allocation and the corresponding changes to the expenditure budgets; which must be affordable on an ongoing basis within the available funding allocation.

 

Report author: Richard Webb

Publication date: 16/02/2017

Date of decision: 16/01/2017

Decided at meeting: 16/01/2017 - Cabinet Member for Education

Accompanying Documents: