Agenda item

A copy of the Schools Budget and Balances Outturn 2022/23 Report and supporting appendix had been circulated prior to the meeting to review. The paper informs the forum of the outturn position of the Schools Budget and provides an overview of the Maintained School Balances for the 2022-23 financial year.

It had been reported that overall, at the end of March 2023, there was a cumulative £3.87m deficit which was a reduction against the brought forward deficit of £5.48m from 2021/22. This represented a reduction of £1.61m across the financial year and £0.79m reduction in the final quarter compared with the projected £4.66m deficit presented to the Schools Forum 17th January 2023. The reasons for the significant variances between planned and actual spending were outlined within the report.

Mr A Bryson reported that it was previously clarified at Schools Forum that should there be an underspend on any of the de-delegated services then it would be a Schools Forum decision on how the outstanding funds would be spent. Therefore, it was recommended that these savings were utilised against the DSG deficit.

In addition, for the 2022/23 financial year there were a variance relating to de-delegated items as outlined below.

a. Contingencies – (£9.7k) remaining contingency for the correction of errors in the funding formula funding was not required.

b. Staff costs – supply cover. Re-imbursement costs for Trade Union Facility time were lower than expected (£7.4k).

The following recommendations had been made from the report.

1.The Schools Forum was asked to note the unused balance on the de-delegated items and to decide on how they wish to utilise these funds.

2.The Schools Forum was asked to note the final position for 2022/23 and that the underspend (subject to any decision on the de-delegated items within recommendation 1) will be used against the significant cumulative deficit in the Dedicated Schools Grant.

Mrs Swift suggested that the decision regarding the unspent de-delegated funds would need to be taken back to all maintain schools and the decision therefore could not be made on their behalf. Mr Bryson made a counter proposal, that the de-delegated funds remain within the de-delegated fund and not be used to offset the DSG deficit, due to the value, this would not make a substantial impact. Following discussion, it was.

RESOLVED that the de-delegated surplus would remain within the budget.

Mrs C Thomas, reporting from feedback from other special schools out of the borough challenged why the LA had only increased their budget by 2.5%, when this had been elevated in other authorities. Mr Bryson explained that this had been detailed within his January 2023 report and the increase was in line with maintained schools. It had been noted that there had been no obligation from the LA to provide the increase; however, it was believed that this should be in line with maintained schools. Mrs C Thomas highlighted further inconsistencies, Mr Bryson explained the LA followed government guidance where possible and the introduction of the national funding formula would further align funding.