Agenda item

1.         Schools Block Budget 2023/24 Financial Year:

a.         To approve the local authority formula for allocating resources to Hammersmith & Fulham schools for 2023/24 as set out in Appendix 1, the Authority Proforma Tool (APT) for setting school budgets.

b.         To approve the National Funding Formula (NFF) transitional funding formula factor rates (as set out in Appendix 1) as the basis for calculating the 2023/24 schools funding formula, together with a 0.5% per pupil Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) protection for individual schools versus 2022/23 levels with respect to pupil led funding.

c.         To approve a transfer of £0.577m (0.5% of the total schools' block allocation) from the schools' block to the high needs block in the 2023/24 financial year.  This approval is pending the outcome of the disapplication request to the DfE to transfer £1.154m (1.0% of the total schools’ block allocation).  Should the DfE provide a positive response to the disapplication an approval of the 1% transfer is recommended.   This is to support high needs education expenditure for special educational needs in Hammersmith and Fulham.

d.         To approve the proposal to top-slice the 2023/24 Schools Block to the value of £0.200m or 0.17% of the total for the Falling Rolls protection fund in 2022/23. Allocations to mainstream schools from the agreed fund would be agreed by a sub-group of the Schools Forum.

e.         To approve de-delegation budgets of £0.691m for maintained mainstream schools only.

f.          To approve the education functions budgets of £0.262m for maintained mainstream schools only, as confirmed by Schools Forum on 17 January 2023.

2.         Central Services Schools Block Budget 2023/24

a.         To approve the proposed budget allocation for Central Services Schools Block DSG totalling £2.422m.

Councillor Rowan Ree introduced the report seeking approval to the final proposed 2023/24 schools block allocation and funding to schools through the schools funding formula for the financial year ending 31 March 2024.  Hammersmith & Fulham Schools Forum had agreed the model for 2023/24 budget shares on 17 January 2023. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) required political endorsement of the Schools’ Forum decision to agree the 2023/24 budget.

Councillor Aliya Afzal-Khan, member of the Children and Education Policy and Accountability Committee, asked how the figure of 0.5% to 1% was calculated for the budget approval of the school blocking transferred to the high needs block. She questioned whether that would cover the extra funding needed by schools to support their special education pupils adequately to enable them to access good quality of education in the borough.

Councillor Rowan Ree reiterated that this budget had been agreed by the  Hammersmith & Fulham Schools Forum and that the schools were happy with the figures. This report was just to ratify the budget that had been agreed.

The Leader added that every year the budget increased significantly. Most of the cost went to children who required the greatest amount of support. including special education needs (SEN). Despite challenging times this was a priority that was reflected in the budget.

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CABINET MEMBERS:

1.         Schools Block Budget 2023/24 Financial Year:

a.         To approve the local authority formula for allocating resources to Hammersmith & Fulham schools for 2023/24 as set out in Appendix 1, the Authority Proforma Tool (APT) for setting school budgets.

b.         To approve the National Funding Formula (NFF) transitional funding formula factor rates (as set out in Appendix 1) as the basis for calculating the 2023/24 schools funding formula, together with a 0.5% per pupil Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) protection for individual schools versus 2022/23 levels with respect to pupil led funding.

c.         To approve a transfer of £0.577m (0.5% of the total schools' block allocation) from the schools' block to the high needs block in the 2023/24 financial year.  This approval is pending the outcome of the disapplication request to the DfE to transfer £1.154m (1.0% of the total schools’ block allocation).  Should the DfE provide a positive response to the disapplication an approval of the 1% transfer is recommended.   This is to support high needs education expenditure for special educational needs in Hammersmith and Fulham.

d.         To approve the proposal to top-slice the 2023/24 Schools Block to the value of £0.200m or 0.17% of the total for the Falling Rolls protection fund in 2022/23. Allocations to mainstream schools from the agreed fund would be agreed by a sub-group of the Schools Forum.

e.         To approve de-delegation budgets of £0.691m for maintained mainstream schools only.

f.          To approve the education functions budgets of £0.262m for maintained mainstream schools only, as confirmed by Schools Forum on 17 January 2023.

2.         Central Services Schools Block Budget 2023/24

a.         To approve the proposed budget allocation for Central Services Schools Block DSG totalling £2.422m.