THAT:

the local application of the National Funding Formula (NFF) for 2018/19 as set out in the consultation document and below, be approved as follows:

(i)            the final school funding values be agreed, subject to a minimum total funding per pupil of £3,500 for primary schools and £4,800 for secondary schools, as follows:

(ii)          that the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) be set at 0.5% for 2018/19 in order to pass through to all schools the government’s 0.5% increase per pupil;

(iii)         the central school services block be used to fund the former Education Services Grant retained duties (£360k), national licences for schools (£131k), Schools Forum (£12k), admissions (£142k) and computer developments to complete the early years Nursery Education Funding (NEF) payment system (up to £25k) and develop access to real-time school payroll and staffing reports through the schools portal (£15k); and

(iv)         for the early years block:

(a)  there is no change in the early years funding formula for providers in Herefordshire

(b)  central expenditure of £335k, for early years consultants and NEF payment costs,  be approved  for 2018/19

(c)  the pass through percentage to 3 and 4 year old providers be approved at 97.5%

(v)          that with regard to the unallocated funds in the schools block arising from a reduction in pupils qualifying for low prior attainment funding:

(a)  the unallocated funding be held in the Schools Block and not distributed to schools in 2018/19; and

(b)  pending further consultation with schools, a decision on a transfer of 0.33% (£324k) from the schools block to the high needs block for 2018/19, be deferred until schools forum can provide further advice on the high needs budget following their meeting on 16th March 2018.

1.    A number of budget variations were considered in detail by the Budget Working Group (BWG) on 5 January 2018, and their additional proposals were accepted by schools forum and are included in the recommendations.