This paper provides an update on the DSG and Growth Fund allocation for 2015/16 and provides an update on the Individual School Budget and Capital Allocations for 2016/17. It asks Schools Forum to approve the LA proposed amendments to Central Bedfordshire’s Scheme for Financing Schools.

The Forum received a report which provided an update on the 2015/16 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and Local Authority (LA) proposed amendments to Central Bedfordshire’s Scheme for Financing Schools.  In additional the Forum was asked to note the 2016/17 Individual School Budget and Capital Allocations.

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

The Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) was set at negative 1.5% per pupil for 2015/16.

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.

The DSG allocation for 2015/16 is £192.114m.

The Schools Block is calculated using the school block unit of funding (SBUF). For 2015/16 the SBUF is £4,289.09 (after the CRC deduction of £7.51) an increase of £144.62 from 2014/15.  There has been an increase of 718 pupils to 35,866 based on the October 2014 census data.

The DfE has transferred £353k for Central Bedfordshire University Technical College (UTC) for the 2015/16 formula base multiplied by the October census data uplifted by the Minimum Funding Level (MFL) increase.

The High Needs Block for 2014/15 has been carried forward plus:

·                Increase in places for academic year 2015/16

·                Additional top-up of £47m (Nationally) distributed based on the 2 – 19 aged population in each LA.  For CBC this is £233k in 2015/16.

The Early Years Block for 2015/16 is comprised of 3 elements:

·                Three and four year old entitlement - £3,979.80 (same as 2014/15 rate) multiplied by the January 2014 census for the provisional allocation.  This is updated for January 2015 pupil numbers.

·                Early years pupil premium (EYPP) – the hourly rate of 53p per child per hour (for each eligible child that takes up the full 570 hours with them). 

·                Funding for disadvantaged two year olds – CBC allocation is £1.644m.  This is allocated based on the number of eligible participating children.

Paragraph 14 of the report provided a table illustrating the updated DSG revenue allocation for 2015/16.

Paragraph 18 of the report provided a list of the licences, including four new contracts, which are centrally paid.

The Forum noted the breakdowns of the distribution of the DSG, in paragraph 20 and the centrally retained DSG in paragraph 22.

2015/16 Growth Fund

The Growth Fund is for significant pre-16 growth in schools where the Council has commissioned new school places.  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 Fund 2015/16 included an adjustment of £248k which was for payments made to Academies.

2016/17 Growth Fund

The amount for 2016/17 was proposed to be set at £2m.  The Forum approved this amount at their meeting on 18 January 2016 (Minute CBSF/15/27 refers).

2016/17 Individual Schools Budget (Schools Block)

The Forum agreed at their meeting held on 18 January 2016 for the LA to apply to the Secretary of State (SoS) for a disapplication of The Schools and Early Years Finance Regulation to allow an increase of £52,514 in the annual amount held centrally for the Schools Admission Team.  The SoS refused because as much money as possible was to be given to schools rather than be held centrally.

Paragraph 30 detailed the final distribution of the DSG to Individual Schools.

The de-delegation of £31 had been refused by the Forum at their meeting held on 18 January 2016.  The funding would now by found from Council reserves.

DfE Capital Allocations

There have been no changes to the Capital Allocations.

Amendments to the Scheme for Financing Schools

Schools had raised questions over the responsibilities for Repairs and Maintenance.  The LA proposed amending the Scheme to provide greater clarity without altering any responsibilities.  The LA had to consult with schools and received 11 responses (13% of schools) – 9 lower schools and 2 upper schools.  One objection was raised by a lower school indicating that small lower schools would be discriminated against. The Forum supported the changes.

A copy of the revised Section 12 – Responsibilities for Repairs and Maintenance with tracked changes is attached to the minutes for reference.

RESOLVED

1.         That the update on the 2015/16 DSG Allocation be noted.

2.         That the update on the 2015/16 Growth Fund be noted.

3.         That the 2016/17 Individual School Budget be noted.

4.         That the updated DfE Capital Allocations 2016/17 be noted.

5.         That the LA proposed amendments to the Central Bedfordshire’s Scheme for Financing Schools be approved.

The voting was unanimous for recommendation 5.