Agenda item

The report of Marie Taylor (Interim Head of Finance) seeks to present budget monitoring information against the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the financial year 2018-19 as at 28 February 2019.  Appendix 1 to the report is confidential and will be shared as a Part II item at the meeting.

Marie Taylor (Interim Head of Finance) referred to the budget monitoring report as at 28 February 2019 that was circulated with the Agenda.  Appendix 1 to the report outlined the budget monitoring summary but as it contained confidential information it would be shared in Part II of the meeting.  Marie highlighted the following:

·       That an overspend of £4.170m was currently projected against the overall school’s budget.  The forecast overspend on the High Needs Block was £4.574m and this would be offset by underspends in the growth fund, early years and central blocks;

·       Budgets for the free entitlement for 30 hours childcare for 2, 3- and 4-year olds are currently forecast to be underspent by £0.320m, but it is important to note that the underspend will have a post financial year adjustment from the DfE;

·       The biggest areas of overspend in the high needs budgets are Independent Special School fees, Named Pupil Allowance and top ups in schools and alternative provision and elective home education support for pupils with SEND;

Nick Breakwell (Head of SEND Service) reported that there is an annual review for those pupils who are home schooled and receive SEND funding.

·       The f40 group has organised a briefing in Parliament for MP’s around fairing funding for 14 May 2019 and Terence Herbert was in discussions with Wiltshire MPs in relation to this.  It was hoped that following this briefing, messages would be passed back to the Treasury to urge Government to address the crisis in high needs funding;

·       One of the major drivers of increased costs to the high needs budget is volume which has increased at a higher level (16%) than expenditure (9%) which could be an indicator that we have more children and young people with lower levels of need.  The forecast variance on high needs spend is £4.574m which is a 12% increase.  The forecast variance of Education, Health and Care Plans is 633 which is a 23% increase;

·       Wiltshire submitted a Free School Bid for a 150 place Special School provision in the south of the county which was successful, and plans are in place to take this forward which will create additional places and enable more children to be placed in Wiltshire Special Schools; and

·       The forecast overspend for the DSG and adjustments to the DSG (which would be discussed under Part II) would take the reserve into a deficit position of £2.060m.  This DSG reserve deficit does pose a concern and Schools Forum will need to ensure all relevant steps are made to work alongside LA Officers to form a plan around high needs block activity to ensure best value across services provided by schools, centrally retained teams and external providers.

Forum Members asked about the proposed Special School provision and it was confirmed that the consultation into these proposals had been extended and would be considered by Cabinet in June 2019.  A press release had been published in relation to this and it would be shared following the meeting by the Clerk. 

This report and its proposals would receive further consideration within Part II of the Agenda.