Agenda item

Confirmation of Indicative Budgets 2018-19 & Correction of Baseline

Minutes:

A thank you was extended to those members who had been able to attend the unscheduled meeting of Schools Forum held on 20 February; a quorum had been present, enabling decisions to be made.

 

George Grant explained it had been understood that the Schools Block information presented to the Schools Forum on 17 January had been final although further information had subsequently been received. 

 

There had been two errors arising in the baseline submission to the ESFA.  As a result, the amount allocated by the DfE to the Schools Block for PFI had been inaccurate and the Central Services School Block (CSSB) had not contained the correct amount, being short by £276,000.  It was questioned what had happened to the funding which had been misallocated.  This had been included in the High Needs allocation by the DfE as a default position.

 

The High Needs total budget was £22.2m for 2018-19, against a planned expenditure estimated at £23.4m. However, the report proposed that the anomalies outlined above were to be addressed which would bring the HNB to £21.9m.  There had been a consultation held at the unscheduled meeting of Schools Forum held on 20 February where members supported the transfer of this funding from HNB to where it should have been originally.  Despite HNB consequently appearing to have lost funds, these should not have been received in the first place.  As a result, additional money would be moved into the Schools Block and the CSSB. There was a requirement to recalculate the funding going to schools’ individual budgets as a result of the transfer.

 

Schools Forum members were asked to note the agreed changes which would also reverse the decision made at the January Schools Forum meeting regarding the need to move money from the Schools Block to support the CSSB.

 

Schools Forum noted the agreed transfers of funding as set out in paragraph 4 as follows:

 

£176,325 from HNB to the CSSB

£100,045 from HNB to the CSSB for ongoing responsibilities

£548,000 from HNB to the Schools Block for PFI

 

Schools Forum also noted the revised school budget shares and noted the adjustment made by the DfE from Resource Units, moving £928,000 from the HNB to the Schools Block.

 

It was confirmed that the PFI contribution in the Schools Block had always been £500,000.  The DfE figure of £548,000 had resulted in more in the Schools Block and it was confirmed this information had gone out to schools.

 

The £89,000 difference for Grove Academy’s budget share was queried.  It was explained that when submitted, the ESFA had noted a change to one of the formulae in the APT. However, a correction was shown in the formula as there were more pupils to take into account.  It was asked what had happened about the ‘ghost’ places which Schools Forum had agreed to part fund from the Growth Fund; Cate Duffy explained if the school did not have as many empty places the Council did not need to pay.  It was felt it would be beneficial to know the figure involved and it was agreed this information would be bought back to Schools Forum. 

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