To note the update on the DSG and Growth Fund allocations for 2014/15.  To approve the 2015/16 DSG allocations for De-delegation, Growth Fund, Admissions and School Forum.  To note the 2015/16 funding announcements.

 

The Forum received a report which provided an update on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and Growth Fund allocation for 2014/15, sought approval of the 2015/16 DSG De-delegation, Growth Fund, Admissions and Schools Forum and to note the 2015/16 funding announcement. 

 

From 2013/14, the DSG would be split into three notional blocks: Early Year, High Needs and Schools.

 

The Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) was set at negative 1.5% per pupil

for 2014/15.

 

It was noted that the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) is no longer required to complete two  statements annually instead the DfE have now requested one annual outturn statement, confirming that the DSG received by the Authority was fully deployed in support of the school budgets in accordance with the conditions of the School Regulations.  In addition it will also include a Non Maintained Special School (NMSS) statement and Fraud cases reported in school statement. 

 

DSG Outturn 2014/15

 

The Schools Block is based on a per pupil unit of funding of £4,144.47 multiplied by 35,148 pupils as reported on the October 2013 census.

 

The Early Years Block is based on a unit of funding of £3,979.80 multiplied by 2,587 full time equivalent number of pupils as reported on the January 2014 census.  In April 2014, the block was updated for 7/12ths of the January 2014 pupil numbers to cover the period September 2013 to March 2014.

 

The High Needs Block is a single block for high needs pupils/student age 0 – 24.  For 2014/15 the block is split into two parts, pre-16 and post-16 (ages 16-24).  The Forum noted that since August 2013, the post-16 funding has combined three previous budgets: SEN block grant, specialist placements funding and the cost of high needs student in Further Education (FE).

 

The distribution of the 2013/14 DSG based on the 48 Academy conversions at December 2014 was £183,434 (£83,790 went to Academies ISB).  Direct payments to Academies included Early Years = £716k and High Needs = £3.481k.  Paragraph 14 of the report provided a breakdown of the centrally retained DSG of £19.3m.

 

A technical sub group would be set up to deal with High Needs Funding.

 

Growth Fund Outturn 2014/15

 

The Growth Fund is for significant pre-16 growth in schools.  Funds are available to both maintained schools and academies.  Where a school has elected to expand they are not eligible for the Growth Fund.

 

The amount for 2014/15 was set at £1m and has been overspent by £428,470.  The Forum noted that any overspend would be the first call against the 2015/16 allocation for Growth Fund.  An adjustment is due from the EFA of £248k in respect of a Growth Fund payment to Academies.  The adjustment will be included in the 2015/16 Growth Fund.   

 

De-delegated Services

 

The Forum noted that funding for de-delegation services must be allocated through the formula but can be de-delegated for maintained mainstream primary and secondary schools with School Forum approval.  The de-delegation does not apply to academies, special schools, nurseries or PRUs.  The decision to de-delegate is made separately by primary and secondary maintained schools.  Middle schools are deemed secondary.  The decision to de-delegate is made on an annual basis for that school year only.

 

Centrally retained services

 

The Forum noted that there were several services for which funding could be centrally retained with the Forum’s agreement annually.  There are limitations of no new commitments or increases in expenditure from 2014/15 being permitted.

 

The services which can be retained centrally include:

·           Funding for significant pre-16 pupil growth, including new schools set up to meet basic need, whether maintained or academy;

·           Funding to enable all schools to meet the infant class size requirement;

·           Servicing of schools forum (limitation of no new commitment)

 

It was noted that budgets could not be increased but any unspent funding could be carried forward to the following year.

 

Contingencies

 

The Forum were asked to consider a funding request for de-delegated services in relation to deficits of closing schools which would exceed £1m.   The amount requested was £30.82 per pupil per school for school contingencies.  The Forum did not support this proposal and instead requested that Officers look for alternatives.  The Forum also agreed to be available should an urgent meeting of the Forum be required to agree a proposal.

 

Growth Fund 2015/16

 

The Forum noted that the Growth Fund for 2015/16 would be set at £2m.   The increase in the amount was agreed in principle at the end of October 2014 to enable the proforma APT return to be submitted to the EFA.

 

Admissions

 

The Forum noted that the budget for admissions would remain at the 2014/15 level of £260k.  An additional officer was added to the team in 2014/15 to help with the increasing complexity of admission arrangements in Central Bedfordshire as a result of schools changing age ranges and an increased number of own admission authorities.

 

Schools Forum

 

The budget for 2015/16 for servicing the schools forum would remain at the 2014/15 level of £3k.  The budget allowed for membership in the F40 group, meeting expenses and travel/training costs.

 

2015/16 DSG Budget Allocation

 

The Forum noted that on 17 December 2014, the DfE announced the DSG for 2015/16 and that it would remain split into three notional blocks: school, high needs and early years.  There will be an additional 1 off uplift to £1.5m from Early Years and and High Needs blocks.  The additional £5.2m awarded to the LA is included in the table on paragraph 38.

 

The final DSG for 2015/16 is £190.087m.  This is based on:

·                Schools Block: £154.171m – which is based on the SBUF plus a cash transfer to bring non-recoupment academies into the LA’s overall budget calculation.  The CRC deduction of £7.51 will be made to DSG allocations. 

·                Early Years: set at the same rate as in 2014/15 of £2,587 x January 2014 census.  It will be adjusted in July 2015 and be based on the January 2015 pupil numbers.

·                High Needs: £25.395m – 2014/15 has been carried forward plus increase in places for the academic year 2015 to 16 and an additional top up of £47m distributed based on 2 – 19 aged population in each LA.

 

The above Schools Block included a cash transfer (£341k) for CBC’s University Technical College which is based on what the UTC would have received in the 2014/15 formula based on pupil numbers in the October 2014 census and uplifted by the Minimum Funding Level (MFL).

 

Paragraph 38 of the report provided a breakdown of the indicative DSG Revenue allocation of £190M for 2015/16.

 

Paragraph 42 provided a list of the single national licence managed by the Department for all state-funded schools in England.  The Forum noted that four new licences had been added.  It is estimated this will cost £237k.

 

Pupil Premium Grant

 

The DfE announced on 11 November 2014 an extra £22.5m funding for the pupil premium.  Primary schools will now receive £1,320 (an increase of £20).  Schools will continue to receive £1,900 for pupils who are looked after, Secondary schools £935 and Service children £300.  The actual allocation will be announced in June 2015.

 

Education Service Grant (ESG)

 

The 2015/16 ESG General Funding Rate for LAs is £87 per pupil in mainstreamed schools, £326.25 per pupil in PRUS and £369.75 per place in Special Schools.  The October 2014 census will be used to calculate the General Funding pot for 2015/16.  Adjustments will be made quarterly to take into account academies opening since November 2014.  The initial allocation is £1.7m.

 

The total ESG retained duties is £15 x the number of pupils aged 3 to 19 in maintained schools and academies.  The indicative amount for 2015/16 is £608k.

 

There will be no top-up payments for academies in 2015/16.  The General Funding Rate for 2015/16. 

 

Universal Infant Free School Meal Grant (UIFSM)

 

Funding has been available since September 2014 to provide all infant-age pupils with a free school meal.  The rate in 2014/15 was £2.30 for each meal.  The rate for 2015/16 will be confirmed later in the year.

 

F40 update: 016/17 and beyond schools funding

 

The F40 Executive Committee meeting held on 6 December 2014 advised that proposals for the national funding formula for schools had been discussed but final information would not be available until after the General Election in May 2015 and will take into account:

·                The total budget that DfE will have to spend, which will be agreed in the next spending review;

·                Any funding policy changes that the new government decides to make before allocation of the 2016/17 funding.

 

RESOLVED

1.         That the update to the 2014/15 DSG allocations be noted.

 

2.         That the update to the 2014/15 Growth Fund be noted.

 

3.         That the De-delegation of £30.82 for Schools Contingency (i) Primary (ii) Secondary phases be refused.

 

4.         That the 2015/16 DSG allocation for Growth Fund to be set at £2m be approved.

 

5.         That the 2015/16 DSG allocation for Admissions to be set at £260k be approved.

 

6.          That the 2015/16 DSG allocation for Schools Forum to be set at £3k be approved.

 

7.         That the Department for Education funding announcement for 2015/16 be noted.