Agenda item

(To receive a report from Mark Popplewell, Head of Finance – Children's Services, which invites the Committee to consider and comment on the Schools Funding Update 2021/22 – Mainstream Schools, prior to a decision being taken by the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services on 20 January 2021)

The Chairman advised that this item invited the Committee to consider and comment on the report which would be presented to the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services for a decision on 20 January 2021 on the Schools Funding Update for 2021/22 – Mainstream Schools.  The Chairman invited Mark Popplewell, Head of Finance - Children's Services to present the report.

Attached as Appendix 1 to the report presented was a copy of the report to the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services, on Schools Funding Update 2021/22 – Mainstream Schools.

The Committee was reminded that the government had introduced the national funding formula (NFF) in 2018/19 for mainstream schools, and that since then the local authority had been responsible for agreeing and calculating schools funding allocations.  The purpose of the national funding formula was to create consistency in funding across all schools nationally ensuring a fairer settlement for each school.

Table 1, on page 34 of the report outlined Lincolnshire's schools overall funding level for 2021/22, through the implementation of the NFF compared to other Local Authorities.  It was noted that Lincolnshire's position nationally had improved.

The Committee was advised that detailed financial modelling had been undertaken by the Local Authority to understand the government's NFF changes for 2021/22.  It was highlighted that the announcements by the government of additional funding would have a positive impact on Lincolnshire schools.  The Committee was advised that subject to affordability, schools would receive a minimum of +2.00% in pupil funding through the 2021/22 funding arrangements.  Further information relating to the funding arrangements was shown on page 35 of the report.

The Committee noted that the Local Authority had consulted all mainstream schools (A copy of the consultation document was attached at Appendix A to the Executive Councillor report).  It was highlighted that 60 schools had responded, and that across the consultation questions, schools were overall in support of the Local Authority's proposals to continue replicating the Government's NFF in 2021/22 and for using the NFF as a basis for determining the notional SEN amount per school, when identifying whether a school was entitled to targeted funding.

The Committee was advised that the Lincolnshire Schools Forum at their meeting on 14 January 2021 had supported the Local Authority's proposals.

In conclusion, the Committee was made aware fulfilling the NFF was subject to affordability, and the options available to the Local Authority were included in the report presented.  Members noted that the Local Authority would consider the impact at individual school level when agreeing the affordability solution.

During discussion, the Committee raised the following comments:-

·      The Committee was pleased to see a positive direction of travel for school funding.  The NFF was the way forward which would have a positive impact and lead to a more equitable situation for school funding going forward; 

·      Lincolnshire had gained through the NFF and had moved up through the ranking table.  However, school funding levels in Lincolnshire were still below national levels, which was disappointing.  Rurality was still being reviewed by the Government as a potential factor for the NFF. The Committee supported any lobbying by the Council to the Government to increase the levels of school funding for Lincolnshire; and

·      The consultation response had increased since last year; responding schools supported the proposals, and all schools had been informed and were planning for those funding impacts.

RESOLVED

1.    That the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee unanimously agreed to support the recommendations to the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services as detailed at Appendix 1, on pages 31 and 32 of the report pack.

2.    That the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee agreed that the comments listed above be forwarded on to the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services in relation to this item.