Issue - meetings

Purpose of report

The main purpose of the report is to inform the Cabinet Member for Education of the progress being made towards the implementation of changes to the school revenue funding arrangements for 2017-18 and to seek the necessary approvals at this stage.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member:

(1)  Endorse the principles proposed by the mainstream working group in Appendix 1 to guide and inform the development of the funding arrangements for 2017-18.

(2)  Approve, that following the confirmation of the 2017-18 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), officers will amend the funding unit values to minimise the impact of fluctuations in funding at the school level and to maintain overall affordability.  In order to provide schools with some certainty, where possible any changes will be limited to the following formula factors:

·         Basic per pupil entitlement

·         Prior attainment

·         Lump Sum

·         The percentage of the financial cap.

(3)  Approve the proposed changes to the mainstream funding formula factors, together with choices the council has made in implementing these factors locally, as set out in section 5.

(4)  Agree to the de-delegation of the following budgets for central administration in 2017-18 and note the proposed rates for de-delegation (as shown at paragraph 3.41 of the consultation document), which will be finally agreed in January:

                                                        i.        Behaviour Support - Primary Only

                                                      ii.        Special Staff Costs (Union Duties)

                                                     iii.        Schools Contingency Fund

                                                     iv.        Licences

(5)  Note that subject to the guidance awaited from the Department for Education (DfE) and the results of the work being undertaken by the Inclusion Commissioning Manager, that the authority is not proposing to make any changes to High Needs place numbers for Special Schools, Resources Units and Alternative Provision settings for 2017-18.

(6)  Note that subject to the guidance awaited from the DfE that the authority is not proposing to make any changes to the annual rates for Element 3 Top-up funding for Resource Units and Alternative Provision settings for 2017-18.

(7)  Note that as set out in paragraph 7.2, work is being undertaken by the Inclusion Commissioning Manager to review the Element 3 Top-up funding arrangements for Special Schools.

(8)  Approve the MFG exemptions submitted to the DfE by the required deadline of 30 November 2016 as set out in paragraph 7.3.

(9)  Approve the funding allocation to Redwood Park Special School as set out in paragraph 8.2.

(TAKE IN REPORT)

The report was introduced by Alison Egerton, Group Accountant. 

The Cabinet Member thanked officers for their work on this as it has been hugely complicated but this report sets out the situation very clearly.  Officers explained that this report would go to the Schools Forum next week for endorsement.

DECISION: the Cabinet Member:

(1)  Endorsed the principles proposed by the mainstream working group in Appendix 1 to guide and inform the development of the funding arrangements for 2017-18.

(2)  Agreed, that following the confirmation of the 2017-18 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), officers will amend the funding unit values to minimise the impact of fluctuations in funding at the school level and to maintain overall affordability. In order to provide schools with some certainty, where possible any changes will be limited to the following formula factors:

· Basic per pupil entitlement

· Prior attainment

· Lump Sum

· The percentage of the financial cap.

(3)  Approved the proposed changes to the mainstream funding formula factors, together with choices the council has made in implementing these factors locally, as set out in section 5.

(4)  Agreed to the de-delegation of the following budgets for central administration in 2017-18 and note the proposed rates for de delegation (as shown at paragraph 3.41 of the consultation document), which will be finally agreed in January:

i. Behaviour Support - Primary Only

ii. Special Staff Costs (Union Duties)

iii. Schools Contingency Fund

iv. Licences

(5)  Noted that subject to the guidance awaited from the Department for Education (DfE) and the results of the work being undertaken by the Inclusion Commissioning Manager, that the authority is not proposing to make any changes to High Needs place numbers for Special Schools, Resources Units and Alternative Provision settings for 2017- 18.

(6)  Noted that subject to the guidance awaited from the DfE that the authority is not proposing to make any changes to the annual rates for Element 3 Top-up funding for Resource Units and Alternative Provision settings for 2017-18.

(7)  Noted that as set out in paragraph 7.2, work is being undertaken by the Inclusion Commissioning Manager to review the Element 3 Top-up funding arrangements for Special Schools.

(8)  Approved the MFG exemptions submitted to the DfE by the required deadline of 30 November 2016 as set out in paragraph 7.3.

(9)  Approved the funding allocation to Redwood Park Special School as set out in paragraph 8.2.