Agenda item

Atul Lad presented report to the Forum on the final outturn for the LA managed budgets funded by the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the 2013-14 financial year.

Appendix A show details of each block and has been split out across SBC and Mott Macdonald. 

Appendix C shows that there is a £2.9 million underspend but £500,000 needs to be taken out to meet a pensions deficit.  It was unclear what the pensions deficit was to fund and Atul Lad will clarify and bring this back to the Forum in September as part of the discussion regarding distribution of the final underspend.

Atul outlined the commitments already in place against the underspend leaving an unallocated amount of £1.3 million.

Coral Miller confirmed that DfE has confirmed that funding can be distributed in-year.

Paul McAteer asked if any further funding was expected to be returned by St Joseph’s.  It was noted that the original allocation had not been a loan but that substantial amounts had been repaid. Atul Lad is to follow this up.

A number of priority areas were discussed including ensuring that adequate contingencies are built into the three blocks; an element of the funding being distributed to all schools and school improvement, as agreed by Headteachers, as a priority area.

It was agreed that any of the funding later agreed to go to all schools should be distributed based on pupil numbers.

Atul Lad to provide confirmation on final position for September Forum meeting.

It was noted that the underspend on Early Years (two year old funding) was substantial as numbers have not materialised at the rate they might have done but this is changing. Jean Cameron asked that this be given consideration in the discussions going forward. She agreed to provide a paper on this for the September meeting as part of this item.

Tony Smith referred to the year having been atypical since expenditure in the first half of the year had been under auspices of the Council which had been circumspect given the prospect of outsourcing. Expenditure in the second half of the year was Cambridge Education’s responsibility. He confirmed, the aim for Cambridge Education was to maximise delegation to schools.

Both Headteacher phase groups will discuss and feed back their priorities for deploying the underspend .

It was agreed that any relevant area (e.g. school improvement and Early Years) should provide a business case for the consideration of Forum at the September meeting and that these should be sent to Atul Lad.

A member asked about support for free school applications and it was noted that the initial support for these had been a one off.