Agenda item

Tony Burton (Head of Finance for Children’s Services and Education) presented the item that covered the final schools block allocation of the dedicated schools grant for 2024/25 following the receipt of final funding allocations and the authority proforma tool in December 2023. He highlighted that the overall funding allocation had decreased by 0.28% year on year for Hammersmith and Fulham mainstream schools in 2024/25 versus 2023/24. This was primarily due to a fall in pupil numbers from October 2022 to October 2023 of 274.5 pupils or 1.7%. However, funding per pupil has increased year on year. The agreed principles modelled sets the minimum funding guarantee at 0.5% and mirrors the National Funding Formula (NFF) factor rates allowing for a percentage uplift of 2.11% on the inner London NFF rates.

Tony Burton also outlined the proposed central services schools block funding allocations for 2024/25. It was noted that for historic commitments there had been a further reduction to this element of funding for all local authorities receiving it. For Hammersmith and Fulham, this equated to a reduction in grant of £0.29m in 2024/25 versus 2023/24 (a circa £2.187m reduction since 2019/20).

With regards to the falling rolls funding, the Chair enquired whether this included the funding for 2023/24. In response Tony Burton explained that the process for the 2023/24 fund still needed to be concluded. A follow up exercise would take place and proposals would be brought to the March Schools Forum for the outstanding £200k to be distributed fairly across all schools.

Action: Tony Burton

The Chair requested that further clarity be provided at next Schools Forum around what had been regularised as a result of the decoupling from the tri-borough services. Including any anomalies that still existed that could be reported back through the Schools Forum regarding funding.

Action: Tony Burton

The Chair asked when the budget allocations for 2025/26 would be available. Tony Burton noted that the Education colleagues would expect to receive the provisional funding allocations around July 2024.

The Chair enquired how well were the workshops attended. In response Tony Burton explained that the workshops were being fairly well attended. These took place in Autumn 2023 and representatives across 20 schools were present. The Chair requested that a survey to circulated to ascertain how well they were received.

Action: Tony Burton

RESOLVED

1.    that the January 2024 APT for the recommended model is submitted to the ESFA for the 2024 to 2025 schools budget share. This is with the revised uplifted NFF rates detailed in paragraph 4 and in appendix 1 and an MFG value of 0.5% per pupil. There are two versions of this model to be agreed pending the DfE decision on the 1% disapplication of grant regulations request.

2.    That the Schools Forum agreed to the proposal to transfer 0.5% of the total Schools Block to the High Needs Block in 2024 to 2025 pending the outcome of the disapplication request to transfer 1% of the Schools Block to the High Needs Block. This equates to £0.588m. Should the DfE provide a positive response to the disapplication request, the 1% transfer is recommended to be approved at £1.177m.

3.    That the Schools Forum were asked to note a proposed correction

for baseline funding error for one maintained primary school. A disapplication

request has been submitted to the Department of Education to modify the

Page 13 Minimum Funding Guarantee allocation for this school. This results in £0.149m of funding being allocated across all schools in the recommended

model.

4.    That  maintained school representatives at Schools Forum agreed to the proposed 2024 to 2025 de-delegation budget of £0.622m.

5.    That maintained school representatives at Schools Forum agreed to the proposed 2024 to 2025 Education Functions budget of £0.307m.

6.    That Schools Forum agreed to the Central Services School Block budget allocations proposed for 2024/25.