Agenda item

The Cabinet considered a joint report of the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services and the Corporate Director of Resources which set out the Council’s approach to setting a funding formula for mainstream primary and secondary schools for 2019/20, which would apply to maintained schools from 1 April 2019 and academies from 1 September 2019.  The report also set out proposals to apply to the Secretary of State for Education for permission to transfer funding from the schools block to supplement High Needs funding in response to the significant budget pressures being experienced in this area.  Full details of the forecast impact on individual schools was included in the report (for copy see file of minutes).

Councillor Gunn in responding to the question from Councillor Shuttleworth about changes in the NFF for schools advised of the opportunities the council has taken to engage with government in relation to this and also the wider financial issues for schools.

Cabinet members spoke of the financial difficulties being faced by schools and that in order to support them there was no alternative now other than to seek permission from the secretary of state, DfE to transfer funding to supplement high needs funding in response to the budget pressures.

In relation to the options set out in the report that had been identified for the 2019-20 formula cabinet members supported option 2, which would continue with the strategy implemented with effect from 2018/19: a transitional formula which moves schools to a NFF based allocation from 2020/21.

Resolved:

(a)         To note the indicative financial modelling that has been undertaken to date and the timetable for decision-making for the 2019-20 mainstream primary and secondary funding formula;

(b)         To authorise the Corporate Director of Resources and Corporate Director of Children and Young Peoples Services, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet members, to submit an application for a transfer of funding from the Schools Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant of the maximum permissible, without creating a negative ceiling;

(c)          In considering the options available in terms of the 2019-20 mainstream primary and secondary funding formula agreed to support option 2, and would feedback to the Schools Forum at its meeting on 5 November 2018.