To consider the recommendations of the Budget Working Group in agreeing a final budget for schools.

The Schools Finance Manager presented a report which requested the Forum to consider the recommendations of the Budget Working Group in agreeing a final budget for schools.

The Chairman referred to the recommendations on page 35 of the report and advised members that recommendations a, f, g and h were for consideration and decision and that recommendations b, c, d and e were for consideration at Item 7 on the agenda, Minute No. 72 refers.

The Schools Finance Manager informed the Forum that the agenda and reports of Budget Working Group were attached as an appendix to the report so that all the financial information and analysis would be available to all Forum members.

With regard to an issue raised regarding trades union facilities budget, the Director of Children’s Services informed members that with the likelihood of more school redundancies more time will be taken on such issues by the trades union representatives. She informed the Forum that a review of expenditure was being undertaken by Human Resources to develop a new financial control process.

The Schools Finance Manager advised that the School balances claw-back proposals contained a typing error and that the parity Proposal figure of 80 in the penultimate line of the table on page 57 should read 68. Also, that the figure £45,0000 in the penultimate paragraph on page 57 should read £45,000.

The Schools Finance Manager drew members’ attention to a further recommendation in paragraph 7 relating to Capital Transfers from Revenue which was an additional recommendation to those referred to on pages 35 and 37 of the report. He advised that currently, schools were able to transfer revenue to capital without limitation. However, the recommendation proposed was the first step to control such transfers.

RESOLVED:   That

(i)                 the trade union facilities budget be cash limited at £32,000 for 2010/11 and measures be introduced for improved financial control with a report to be submitted to the July Forum meeting detailing these measures;

(ii)               sixth form free school meals be funded from the Learning and Skills Council funding allocated to schools and excluded from the percentage used to calculate all other factors relating to pre-16 pupils;

(iii)             the changes contained in Proposal B of the Balance claw-back scheme i.e. the minimum amount for the primary schools and high schools be reduced by £5,000 i.e. primary £25,000 and high schools £45,000 for financial year 2010/11;

(iv)             approves the rates rebates funding to be distributed to schools as follows;

·         Primary and High schools to receive £46.65 per pupil.

·         Special schools to receive £208.79 per pupil.

·         Pupil Referral Units to receive £183.47 per pupil.

and schools be given the choice of either full payment in 2010/11 or equal payment over the three years 2010/11-2012/13;

(v)       schools should not be able to transfer Revenue funding to Capital unless a Capital scheme has been approved by the local authority on a timely basis, or in the case of VA schools the Locally Controlled Voluntary Aided Programme Committee, and that a report be submitted to the Forum meeting in July to show how this will be implemented and monitored and the Head of Access and Capital Commissioning would  be requested to present this at the July Schools Forum meeting.