Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Suzy Horton and Councillor Jeanette Smith.

Councillor Norton declared a personal, non-prejudicial interest as he is employed at Mayfield School through a cover agency. 

Purpose of report

The purpose of this report is to inform the Cabinet Member of the projected revenue expenditure of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the current financial year 2021-22 as at the end of September 2021.

Recommendations

It is recommended that The Cabinet Member:

·       Notes the forecast year end budget position for the Dedicated Schools Grant as at 30 September 2021, together with the associated explanations contained within this report.

The report was introduced by Alison Egerton, Group Accountant.

In response to question regarding the underspend in the high needs block, officers explained that as far as they were aware every child placed in a setting (mainstream for special school) with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) has received the appropriate funding.  Over the course of the year they have started to see an increase in pupils with EHCP and they are expecting this increase to continue as we emerge from the pandemic.  

At the end of the financial year, any underspend/overspend goes into the carry forward.  It is ring-fenced within the Dedicated Schools Grant budget for use in future years.

DECISION:

The Cabinet Member noted the forecast year end budget position for the Dedicated Schools Grant as at 30 September 2021, together with the

associated explanations contained within this report.

Purpose

The purpose of this report is to:

·       Seek approval of the final stage submission to the Education and Skills Funding Agency (EFSA) by 21 January 2022 of the 2022-23 mainstream school revenue funding pro-forma for the Primary and Secondary Phases.

·       Inform the Cabinet Member of the progress towards the initial determination of the schools budget (including individual schools budgets for 2022-23 and to seek the necessary approvals and endorsements required).

Recommendations

It is recommended that the Cabinet Member:

·       Approve the proposed changes to the mainstream schools revenue funding arrangements as set out in Section 5.

·       Approve the school revenue funding pro-forma at Appendix 4 for submission to the ESFA on 21 January 2022.

·       Approve the use of the carry forward on the Schools Specific Contingency for the same purpose in 2022-23.

·       Approve the budget to be held centrally for the payment of central licences negotiated nationally for all schools by the Secretary of State.

·       Approve the use of the 2021-22 underspend on the Growth Fund for use for the same purpose in 2022-23.

·       Endorse the Growth Fund:

Budget for 2022-23 as set out in Appendix 1

Criteria for 2022-23 as set out in Appendix 3

·       Endorse the budgets to be held centrally specifically:

Schools Forum

Admissions

Duties retained by the local authority for all schools

The report was introduced by Angela Mann, Finance Manager.

In response to questions officers clarified the following:

In terms of the reduction of hours in early years, demographics are a major factor in this due to the falling birth rate.  Some parents did hold back on sending their child to nursery, but this has recently increased and is getting back to near normal levels. Year R pupil numbers are lower, but this was forecasted due to a decrease in birth rates.

This was the same report that Schools Forum endorsed at their meeting last week.

DECISIONS: The Cabinet Member:

·       Approved the proposed changes to the mainstream schools

          revenue funding arrangements as set out in Section 5.

·       Approved the school revenue funding pro-forma at Appendix 4 for

          submission to the ESFA on 21 January 2022.

·       Approved the use of the carry forward on the Schools Specific

          Contingency for the same purpose in 2022-23.

·       Approved the budget to be held centrally for the payment of central licences negotiated nationally for all schools by the Secretary of State.

·       Approved the use of the 2021-22 underspend on the Growth Fund

          for use for the same purpose in 2022-23.

·       Endorsed the Growth Fund:

          Budget for 2022-23 as set out in Appendix 1

          Criteria for 2022-23 as set out in Appendix 3

·       Endorsed the budgets to be held centrally specifically:

-       Schools Forum

-       Admissions

-       Duties retained by the local authority for all schools