Agenda item
Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services and County Treasurer (DEF/18/05) attached.
Minutes:
DISCUSSION:
The Forum considered the report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services and County Treasurer (DEF/18/05) and noted the respective Schools Finance Group minutes of 5 June 2018 (minute 83 below).
The report covered:-
Dedicated Schools Grant Draft Outturn position
Allocation of Carry Forwards from 2017/18 (previously approved in principle)
Mutual Fund Update
In respect of Tresillian Nursery (report Table 5 Carry Forwards) members queried why this was a special case for an individual setting when their deficit had also increased from the previous year. The County Treasurer advised this was historical and in approving the carry forward this stayed in Tresillian’s own budget, but if it was not approved it would come out of the Early Years block. Tresillian’s position could be looked at in greater detail next year if required.
Members comments further included:-
Changes to the growth fund proposals (paragraph 1.3 of the report) to be communicated to schools once the latest funding position was known in July 2018;
DAPH suggested the Schools Finance Group may wish to consider whether there should be any “Plan B” should there be a deficit (High Needs Block);
SEN mainstream (paragraph 1.4.4 of the report) bespoke to individual needs (not capped), but applied consistently;
Recognition that FE budgets were different from pre-16 settings and this should be reflected in how FE High Needs providers were funded;
Managing increased Independent Special Schools placements (paragraph 1.4.5 of the report) and some delay in additional settings eg Glendinning and Tiverton Charlton Lodge.
DECISION:
(a) that the Dedicated Schools Grant Draft Outturn position (subject to Statement of Accounts sign off) as set out in Section 1 of report (DEF/18/05) be noted;
(b) that the allocation of the Carry Forwards from 2017/18 as set out in Section 2 and Table 5 of report (DEF/18/05) be noted/approved respectively;
Carry Forward from 2017/18
|
Budget Line |
Amount £’000 |
Notes |
Decision |
|
Mainstream School balances |
15,927 |
Automatically carried forward in Individual School budgets |
2.2 noted |
|
Total School balances |
15,927 |
|
|
|
419 |
Balance to fund ongoing cover in 2018/19 |
2.3 noted |
|
|
Schools and DSG Contingency |
1,852 |
Roll forward 2017/18 underspend into 2018/19 |
2.3 noted |
|
Phase Associations |
82 |
DAPH (£82k) reinstated. C/fwd taken as part of 2016/17 funding of HNB
DASH (£43k) taken as part of 2016/17 funding of HNB offset by £43k overspend in 2017/18. |
2.3 noted |
|
Total de-delegated budgets & Central Provisions |
2,353 |
|
|
|
Special School Balances |
2,219 |
Automatically carried forward in Individual School budgets |
2.4 noted |
|
Hospital Education |
83 |
Specialised training for hospital staff and additional support in North Devon |
2.5 noted |
|
Mainstream SEN |
16 |
Post 16 SEN – ESFA Funding that relates to summer term |
2.6 noted |
|
High Needs |
(1,637) |
Deficit Balance – agreed to be carried forward by DEF |
2.7 noted |
|
Total High Needs |
681 |
|
|
|
Early Years Pupil Premium |
188 |
2017/18 Ring fenced grant – DfE have confirmed can be spent in 2018/19 |
2.8 approved* |
|
Early Years Growth Fund |
184 |
Slippage on Trinity start-up costs, funds are committed for 2018/19 |
2.9 approved* |
|
Tresillian Nursery |
(53) |
Nursery deficit balance to be met from 2018/19 budget |
2.10 approved* |
|
Total Early Years |
319 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Carry forward requested |
19,280 |
|
|
*(Vote: all phases maintained and academy, PVI)
(c) that the year-end Mutual Fund position as set out in Section 3 of report (DEF/18/05) be noted;
(d) that a cautious welcome be given to the improved outturn projected forward and appreciation to all staff involved in the management action;
(e) that the suggestion of whether there should be any “Plan B” should there be a deficit (High Needs Block) be forwarded to the Schools Finance Group.
ACTION:
County Treasurer (Adrian Fox) / (e) Heather A Bingham
Supporting documents:
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