To consider the report of the Budget Working Group on the following matters: National School Funding Formula proposals for 2015/16, Early Years Funding, Department for Education High Needs Review and School Balances.

The Forum considered the report of the Budget Working Group (BWG) on the following matters: National School Funding Formula proposals for 2015/16, Early Years Funding, Department for Education (DfE) High Needs Review and School Balances.

The Chairman of the BWG introduced the report.  He thanked members of the Group for their work.  He commented that the BWG had considered and endorsed the continuation of the strategy of moving incrementally towards average funding ratios as calculated by the Department for Education mindful of the implications of the implementation of the National Funding Formula.

The School Finance Manager presented the report.  He noted that the response rate from schools to the budget consultation had been lower than in the previous year.  The BWG had concluded that the detailed work previously undertaken had generated a consensus amongst schools in support of the budget strategy.  The proposals for 2015/16 represented a continuation of that strategy. 

One change was an increase in funding for low prior attainment with a corresponding reduction in funding for deprivation.  The aim behind this change was also to move the authority more into line with the national average pattern of funding for these two areas of expenditure.

RESOLVED:

That      (a)     the proposals for the local application of the National Funding Formula for 2015/16 as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved for recommendation to the Director for Children’s Wellbeing as follows:

1.    Primary pupil funding – to add 2.9% in addition to the £13 per pupil increase arising from the changes to the primary lump sum so that the £2,759 2014/15 basic entitlement per pupil increases to £2,854 in 2015/16.

2.    Secondary KS3 pupil funding – to add 2.9%  so that the £3,583 2014/15 basic entitlement per KS3 pupil increases to £3,689 in 2015/16

3.    Secondary KS4 pupil funding – to add 2.9% so that the £4,512 2014/15 basic entitlement per KS4 pupil increases to £4,645 in 2015/16.

4.    Low prior attainment (low cost, high incidence special education needs) –

(i)            to increase primary funding from £228 per pupil in 2014/15 to £428 per pupil in 2015/16;

(ii)          to increase secondary funding from £148 per pupil in 2014/15 to £648 per pupil in 2015/16;

5.    Deprivation –

(i)            to reduce the primary ever-6 free school meal funding to £2,572 in 2015/16;

(ii)           to reduce the secondary ever 6 free school meal funding to £ 2,162 per pupil.

6.    EAL – to increase the £405 per EAL pupil (first year only) in 2015/16 to £505 for primary schools and £1,216 for high schools in accordance with the Minimum Funding Values set out by the DfE

7     Lump sums – primary £93,000 and secondary £130,500

8     Business Rates – no change funded at cost

9     Looked After Children – to maintain the funding in line with the pupil premium at £1,300 for2015/16

10   Mobility – no change for 2015/16 

11   PFI factor –  to increase to £207,500 (from £190,000) to provide for increased inflation within the PFI contract.  This builds on the existing funding split between the council and DSG.  There will be further increases in 2016/17 and 2017/18. The cost of additional PFI funding is being shared equally by DSG and the council’s budget.

       (Agreed following consideration of a separate item elsewhere on the Forum’s agenda (Minute no 184 refers).)

12        Sparsity

            (i) to increase the primary sparsity factor for qualifying schools to £28,000 tapered lump sum

(ii) to remove sparsity payments for high schools and increase the secondary lump sum by £1,750 to £132,250;

13        De-delegation –

             (i) consideration of de-delegation be deferred for the Primary Maintained Sector; and

            (ii) consideration of de-delegation be deferred for the Secondary Maintained Sector; pending further consideration by the BWG and a recommendation to the Forum in January 2015

14        High Needs Protection - a continuation of the current budget protection scheme for high needs in primary schools with a cap of £60 per pupil be agreed in principle, subject to a more detailed review by the Budget Working Group;

Note : Only school members of Forum  And Early Years representatives voted on the national school funding formula values.  Voting on de-delegation was restricted to primary maintained schools for primary sector de-delegation and secondary maintained schools for secondary sector de-delegation.

(b)          the interim funding formula values, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be submitted to the Education Funding Agency by the deadline of 31October marked “pending the Director’s approval” as necessary;

(The Forum considered recommendation 11 in appendix 1 to the report after consideration of Agenda Item 11: Whitecross PFI Scheme.)