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 provided an overview of maintained schools’ budget plans for 2024/25 (for copy of report, see file of minutes).

In moving the report, Councillor Henderson thanked both Corporate Directors and their teams for their continued support to 145 maintained schools.  This was the first year in many years that the Chief Finance Officer had not exercised delegated powers to agree a deficit budget.  This was partially due to additional funding provided by the previous Government and allocated to 23 of the Councils most financially challenged schools.

Maintained schools were budgeting to utilise £4.5m of their retained balances in 2024/25, which if required would see maintained balances reduce to £22.1m at the end of the financial year.  It was important to support and challenge schools to properly manage budgets and ensure that leadership teams and governing bodies were living within their means.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.