Agenda item

The report of Grant Davis (Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager) seeks to update Schools Forum on issues relating to the schools delegated budget for 2025-26 and the decisions that need to be made as part of the budget setting process.

Grant Davis, Schools Strategic Financial Support Manager, presented the report and updated the Schools Forum on the issues relating to the Schools delegated budget for 2025-26 and the decisions that would need to be made as part of the budget setting process. The following was then highlighted:

• Paragraphs 2 to 4 detailed the main considerations for Members, with officers drawing particular attention to Paragraph 3 which listed the notable changes to the main funding formula for 2025-26.
• Paragraphs 5 to 9 were discussed and referred to the National Funding Formula (NFF) where officers again emphasised that based upon the School’s Block allocation, the formula was fully affordable for the 2024-25 financial year, applying all the NFF factor values.
• Paragraphs 10 to 15 referred to the Growth Funding and Falling Rolls Allocations for 2025-26 and it was noted that for a second year, the Department for Education (DfE) had issued funding to Local Authorities (LAs) based on falling rolls. However, it was reiterated that at the December 2024 meeting of the Schools Forum, Members had decided to not introduce a Falling Rolls Fund for 2024-25 based on a number of factors. Furthermore, at the December 2024 meeting, Members confirmed the criteria for allocating Growth Funding.
• Paragraphs 16 to 20 were then briefly detailed referring to the historical position and affordability considerations.
• The Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) was then discussed as per Paragraphs 21 to 24, and it was noted that at the December 2024 meeting, Members had agreed to set the MFG at the 0.0% level, subject to affordability.
• Sparsity and Split Site Funding were then briefly discussed as per Paragraphs 25 to 31 and officers noted that Members had agreed to mirror the NFF sparsity changes within the Wiltshire formula. Furthermore, it was highlighted that the DfE had determined that funding for split sites would be based upon a two-pronged criterion: Basic Eligibility and Distance Funding. Paragraph 31 detailed the implications of such on those applicable schools in Wiltshire.
• Paragraphs 32 to 35 referred to Minimum per Pupil Funding Levels (MPPFL) and it was highlighted that as the NFF was embedded, the quantum of funding awarded through the MPPFL, and the number of schools eligible to receive funding, should continue to decrease.
• Finally, Members were informed that on Monday 20 January 2025, after the publication of the agenda, the DfE requested that a new Disapplication Request be submitted in respect of funding being allocated to schools which did not have their own hall or playing field and were therefore required to rent facilities to hold whole school events. It was explained that in line with DfE Guidance, this would only apply to schools where the rent exceeded 1% of their School Budget Share and that this applied to 7 schools in Wiltshire. As such, officers had included a supplementary recommendation for Members to ratify the decision and approve the submission a new Disapplication Request to fund those schools impacted as an exceptional circumstance.

There being no questions or comments, it was then:

Following which, it was then:

Resolved:

The Schools Forum:

a)    Noted the report.

b)    Confirmed its intention to apply all the funding factors at the 2025-26 National Funding Formula rates.

c)    Confirmed setting the Minimum Funding Guarantee at a level of 0.0%, as being fully affordable.

d)    Confirmed transferring 0.236% of the Schools Block to the High Needs Block, £0.914m, as the full National Funding Formula was affordable.

e)    Agreed the level of the Growth Fund at £0.5m.

f)     Agreed to fund the 7 schools for rent, with a total formula value of £60,955, as an exceptional factor, in line with previous years, and to submit a new Disapplication Request accordingly.

(The decisions numbered b – f above, were made later in the meeting under Agenda Item 10)

Members took a comfort break from 15.10pm – 15.20pm.