Agenda item

Dedicated Schools Budget - Provisional Central Schools Block Update 2021-22

The report of Marie Taylor (Head of Finance – Children and Education) seeks to update Schools Forum on issues relating to the Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) budget for 2021-22 financial year and the decisions that will need to be made as part of the budget setting process.

Minutes:

Marie Taylor (Head of Finance – Children and Education) referred to the report which sought to update the Forum on issues relating to the Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) budget for 2021-22 financial year and the decisions that would need to be made as part of the budget setting process.  Marie highlighted the following:

 

·       That the Forum were being asked to make some in principle decisions at the meeting to make the modelling and decision making for the January 2021 meeting slightly easier;

 

·       The provisional allocation for the Central Schools Services Block was £2.449m.  The DfE had been reducing payments for historic commitments and £0.367m had been allocated for this based on those commitments agreed as eligible in 2020-21 reduced by 20% of £0.092m;

 

·       The Central Schools Services Block is the funding for the LA to carry out central functions on behalf of pupils in all schools – the central functions;

 

·       Section A – Central copyright licences.  Although notification of this amount had not yet been received the same level of inflation had been assumed so this amount could change;

 

·       Section B - The 2.75% pay award for salary inflation had also been assumed, but following the Government Spending Review these amounts would change so at the January 2021 meeting these amounts would not be at the same level;

 

·       Historic commitments – The same level of funding for the LAC Personal Education Plans and the Child Protection in Schools Adviser had been requested.  The prudential borrowing proposed allocation had been reduced so that would mean there would be an unallocated CSSB balance that could be available to transfer to the High Needs block;

 

·       ESG funding was previously removed as a ringfenced grant.  In Wiltshire the ESG was not directly removed from education budgets but taken as a reduction in funding for the whole council. This is because education is a priority for the Council.;

 

·       The DfE had provided an alternative transitional grant but had not yet confirmed that the school improvement monitoring and brokering grant would continue into year 2021-22 – should this grant be removed or significantly reduced, the situation would need to be reviewed; and

 

·       Assuming the proposed budget is accepted by Schools Forum, an amount of £0.195m unallocated CSSB is estimated to be available to transfer to fund high needs pressures.

 

Resolved:

 

1.    That Schools Forum note the report and decisions in relation to the Central Schools Block budget 2021-22 and agree the following amounts in principle in advance of setting the Schools budget in January 2021

 

Approvalrequired & legislative narrative

Services covered

2020-21 Budget

£M

Wiltshire Budget Proposal 2021-22

£M

Section A

·       Schoolsforumapprovalisnot required (althoughthey shouldbe consulted)

 

·       Central Copyright Licences for 2021-22 for Wiltshire as set by the DfE. 

 

£0.382m

 

£0.392m*

Section B

Schoolsforumapprovalisrequired ona line-by-linebasis

·       back pay for equal pay claims

·       remission of boarding fees at maintained schools and academies

·       places in independent schools for non-SEN pupils

·       admissions

·       servicing of school’s forum

·       contribution to responsibilities that local authorities hold for all schools

·       contribution to responsibilities that local authorities hold for maintained schools (voted on by relevant maintained school members of the forum only)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The limitation on increases to centrally held spend has been removed from the budgets for admissions and servicing of school’s forums.  It is therefore proposed to apply salary inflation to the budget for the central teams and address the safeguarding and admission pressures.  This is affordable within the overall CSSB allocation.

Services previously funded by the retained rate of the ESG**:

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·       Education Welfare Service

 

£0.194

£0.199

·       Asset Management

 

£0.181

£0.186

·       Statutory / Regulatory Duties

 

£0.651

£0.669

·       Admissions

 

£0.426

£0.438

·       Servicing of Schools Forum

 

 

 

£0.003

£0.003

 

Approvalrequired & legislative narrative

Services covered

2020-21 Budget

£M

Wiltshire Budget Proposal 2021-22

£M

Section C

Historic Commitments:

Schoolsforumapprovalisrequired ona line-by-linebasis. The budget cannotexceed the value agreed inthe previousfundingperiodand nonew commitmentscan be entered into

 

•        capital expenditure funded from revenue – projects must have been planned and decided on prior to April 2013 so no new projects can be charged

•        contribution to combined budgets – this is where the school’s forum agreed prior to April 2013 a contribution from the school’s budget to services which would otherwise be funded from other sources

•        existing termination of employment costs (costs for specific individuals must have been approved prior to April 2013 so no new redundancy costs can be charged)

•        Prudential borrowing costs – the commitment must have been approved prior to April 2013

 

 

 

Funding for LAC Personal Education Plans - Schools Forum decision December 2007 to support PEPs for Looked After Children from 2008/09 financial year as required under "Care Matters".  Allocation based on original estimate of £500 per LAC and managed by Virtual Head Teacher.  PPG Plus now also supports PEPs and so this funding was reduced to £103,000 in 2018/19 – no change is requested by the Virtual School.

0.103

0.103

 

Meets definition

And required evidence is available

Child Protection in Schools Adviser - Schools Forum decision January 2006 to support staff within Children's Services to provide support and advice to schools enabling them to meet their statutory responsibilities. 

0.056

0.056

 

Meets definition

And required evidence is available

 

Prudential Borrowing

Schools forum decision to support approx. £3m capital financing for 13-year period

0.300

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.208

 

Meets definition

And required evidence is available

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

0.459

 

 

 

0.367

 

 

 

 

 

Balance unallocated and available to transfer to the HNB

 

 

0.184

 

 

0.195

 

 

2.    That Schools Forum note that notification of the school improvement monitoring and brokering grant has not yet been shared by the DfE. If the grant ceases or is significantly reduced, the expenditure plan will need to be reviewed, decisions made will be reconsidered at the next available Schools Forum meeting.

Supporting documents: