Agenda item

De-Delegation of Maintained Primary School Budget 2018/19 and 2019/20

(To receive a report from Mark Popplewell, Head of Finance – Children's Services, which seeks approval from the maintained primary school representatives to the Local Authority's proposals)

Minutes:

The Forum gave consideration to a report from Mark Popplewell, Head of Finance – Children's Services, which sought approval from the maintained primary school representatives' of the Forum to the LA proposals for the de-delegation of certain budgets in 2018/19 and 2019/20.

 

The Forum was reminded that for 2017/18, maintained primary schools had agreed to de-delegate funding for:

 

·         Contingency, i.e. termination of employment costs for schools in financial difficulty, and exceptional unforeseen costs; and

·         Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team.

 

It was noted that no funds had been de-delegated for maintained secondary schools.

 

Information relating to the agreement of the primary maintained Forum members from the meeting held on 5 October 2016 was detailed on page 30 of the report presented.

 

It was reported that based on the assumption that the budgets would be fully spent in 2017/18, the cumulative underspend was projected to fall to £0.316m by March 2018.  Based on the government's funding announcement and previous spend levels on the termination of employment costs for schools in financial difficulty, the LA proposed to reduce the budget by £0.1m to £0.150m in 2018/19; and that this would be monitored annually, particularly with the high number of small rural maintained primary schools. 

 

The Forum noted that the primary maintained schools contingency budgets were demand-led, and the LA was proposing to retain £0.2m provision within the cumulative underspend.  The Forum noted further that the LA proposed to continue with reduced de-delegation rates in 2018/19 for maintained primary schools, with remaining costs being met from cumulative underspend. The de-delegation rates were as follows:-

 

            Contingency                                                                         £16.06 per pupil

            Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team                 £5.44 per pupil

 

Which would finance:

 

            Termination of employment costs                                     £0.150m

            Consultant Headteachers                                                  £0.291m

            Exceptional unforeseen costs                                           £0.380m

            Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team              £0.189m

 

The Forum noted that the proposal for 2019/20 would revert back to the baseline amounts per pupil for the de-delegation budgets, which would be set at:

 

            Contingency                                                                         £23.57 per pupil

            Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team                £5.44 per pupil

 

The Forum noted further that per pupil figures for 2019/20 were indicative at this stage, and would be based on the latest October census data.  The figures presented were based on the October 2016 census; and 34,818 maintained primary pupils.  Information relating to the current services was attached at Appendix 1.

 

During a short discussion, the Forum raised the following issues:-

 

·         A concern was raised as to whether the provision amount of £0.2m was sufficient.  Officers confirmed that they felt that the amount of £200,000 was sufficient to manage in-year changes, and would allow time for changes to be built in for future years to manage cost demands; and

·         One member enquired as to what would happen to funding if a maintained school converted.  Officers advised that would depend on when the conversion took place, if it was before September then the share of 7/12ths funding would be recouped for that school and post September the LA would keep the funding until March.

 

Officers reassured the Forum that any changes would be would be reported back to the Schools' Forum for their consideration.

 

RESOLVED

 

That support be given from the maintained primary school representatives on the Lincolnshire Schools' Forum to the proposals for de-delegation of the budgets for the period 2018/19 and 2019/20 as set out in the report presented and detailed above.

Supporting documents:

 

 
 
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