Issue - meetings

Purpose

The purpose of this report is to inform the Cabinet Member of the year-end outturn position as at the end of March 2020 for the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).

RECOMMENDED the Cabinet Member:

Notes the year-end outturn budget position for the Dedicated Schools Grant as at the end of March 2020 and the variance explanations contained within this report.

The report was introduced by Alison Egerton, Group Accountant. 

In response to a question regarding the 173k overspend for special schools, Alison Egerton explained that when officers set the budget for special schools they assume the places are all taken by Portsmouth City Council children.  In reality a number are funded from other local authorities and those home local authorities are responsible for paying the Element 3 top up funding.  This gives PCC a small contingency in the overall budget which allows officers to deal with overspends elsewhere in the high needs block.  In particular officers find it is difficult to forecast the out of city pupils and those in mainstream schools with EHCPs, due to the volume and complexity of need and officers use that as a way of offsetting potential overspends in future years. 

DECISION: The Cabinet Member noted the year-end outturn budget position for the Dedicated Schools Grant as at the end of March 2020 and the variance explanations contained within this report.