Agenda item

To receive and consider the 2021/22 Proposed De-delegated Budget report.

Katherine Vernon presented the 2021/22 Proposed De-delegated Budget report.

Katherine Vernon went through the services that were included in the De-delegated Budget:

Contingencies – there had been no allocations in the current year, and it was proposed to keep £50k for contingencies.

Behaviour support – this was for primary schools only and the service was commissioned from Foundry College.  A review of Foundry College funding was being undertaken, as it was recognised that the funding from the De-delegated Budget did not fully cover their costs.

English as an additional language (EAL) – there had been an increase in staff costs.  The local authority had used the general funds to avoid the full impact of this increase to schools.

Staff costs supply cover – this was regularly overspent, so it was proposed to increase this budget.  The fact that more schools were converting to academies had been taken into account.

Licences and subscriptions – the same fixed rates had been kept.

Katherine Vernon confirmed that Insurance was no longer a de-delegated service.

During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:

·           The Chairman pointed out that the De-delegated Budget had changed from £750k to £891k;

·           Katherine Vernon stated that this did not represent an increase in the underlining year on year De-delegated Budget expenditure, but the fact that there were fewer maintained schools over which to spread the total costs;

·           Carole Simpson asked what would happen if schools did not approve this Budget.  The Chairman explained that in that instance the service or services not approved would be removed from the De-delegated Budget and schools would have to fund those activities directly from their own budgets;

·           Lynne Samuel stated that services would not be immediately stopped if it was decided that they should no longer be funded by the De-delegated Budget.  Should this happen, a review would have to be carried out;

·           In response to a question Lynne Samuel stated that the local authority was aware of the difficult financial situation resulting from the increasing number of school academisations and its implication on maintained schools.  A review of the model would have to be undertaken for the 2022/23 financial year;

·           Corrina Gillard asked that schools be given as much notice as possible of changes to this Budget resulting from schools academisations;

·           Corrina Gillard suggested that a Task and Finish Group be formed to look at this issue, she believed that going forward this situation was unsustainable;

·           In response to a question Lynne Samuel stated that a review of the activity within the services would be undertaken;

·           Liz Woodwards suggested that the services provided within the De-delegated Budget could be provided as traded services.  Lynne Samuel stated that different funding models would be considered;

·           In response to a question, Lynne Samuel stated that there was not an immediate reduction in the cost of licences and subscriptions as a result of schools academisation;

·           In response to a question Lynne Samuel stated that Officers believed that it was wise to keep £50k in the contingencies to keep this funding available for schools;

·           Members raised concern over the increased cost to the supply cover line, and asked that this be reviewed.

The Chairman asked each maintained primary and secondary schools representatives to vote on each individual service within the De-delegated Budget, and there was unanimous approval of all services by each of the phases.  It was agreed that the Contingencies would be amended to the balance that was left from this year, with the assumption that this would be at least £50k by the end of the financial year.

RESOLVED That:

1)     Schools Forum maintained schools’ members approve the proposed De-delegated Budget for 2021/22; and

2)     A review of the De-delegated funding arrangements will be carried out for the 2022/23 financial year.