Agenda item

Dedicated Schools Grant Outturn 2020/21

Minutes:

Tony Burton, Head of Finance (Children’s Services and Education), presented the report which confirmed the 2020/21 Outturn for the Dedicated Schools Grant and balances held at 31 March 2021. He highlighted favourable variances in the Schools Block and Early Years Block.

 

In the Schools Block the paper recommended provision be made for:

·       Additional support to maintained primaries to support transition to lower rolls.

·       Short term budget support for two schools in financial difficulty

·       Funding to be returned to all maintained primary schools in proportion to their 2020/21 contributions to the contingency fund for schools in financial difficulty.

 

The Chair asked what the timescales were for paying out the £265k identified in the paper. Tony Burton said the paper was looking for agreement pay that now.

 

Tony Burton noted the sub-group consisted of Michele Barrett, Clare Fletcher, Kathleen Williams, and Joe Brown – with input from Dave Collins. The sub-group would report to the next meeting in October.

 

ACTION: Tony Burton / Sub-group

 

Tony Burton noted that the High Needs Block had seen significant improvement from 19/20 and the trajectory was positive. Funding increased in 21/22 and while officers wouldn’t know the 22/23 allocation until the end of term, they expected a favourable increase which would help balance the in-year position.

 

The Chair asked about the timescales for the safety historic deficit funding. Tony Burton said the Government had agreed £20m in total. The first £6m came in March, then a further £4m would be paid this year subject to showing a balanced trajectory over the medium-term. The remaining £10m was profiled to be paid over the 22/23 to 25/26 financial years. This would be monitored at Schools Forum over the medium-term.

 

The Chair asked what mitigations had to be put in place to ensure the funding continued. Officers noted this was covered in the following report. Jan Parnell, Director of Education, explained that the goal was to maintain a good service while trying to avoid escalation to expensive out of borough provision. In response to a question on demand, officers noted that EHCP growth was allowed for within the medium-term plan.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    That the following provisions are made from the retained de-delegated balance of £0.755m with authority to agree payments to schools delegated to the subgroup of the Schools Forum established in March 2021. The subgroup will review and agree appropriate and proportionate support to schools.

a.    £0.382m – Provision for additional support to maintained primaries to support their transition to lower rolls. Potential payments not to exceed those presented to Schools Forum in March 2021 and subject to due diligence with respect to the appropriate and proportionate support by the appointed subgroup. Officers will support the conclusion of this process ASAP in the current term.

b.    £0.100m – Provision for short term budget support for two schools in financial difficulty and subject to an agreed medium-term sustainable budget plan.

c.     £0.265m – Provision for funding to be returned to all maintained primary schools in proportion to their 2020/21 contributions to the contingency fund for schools in financial difficulty.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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