Issue - meetings

Report ED13102

The Sub-Committee considered a report setting out the budget monitoring position for the Education Portfolio based on expenditure to the end of July 2013.  The Schools’ Budget, funded from the Dedicated Schools’ Grant and specific grants was forecast to be in an underspend position of £1,135,000, which would be carried forward into the next financial year.  The controllable part of the Non-Schools’ Budget, funded from Council Tax, Revenue Support and specific grants, was forecasted to be in an overspend position of £3,000.

Members were advised that on 12^th June 2013, the Council’s Executive had been requested to approve a number of carry forward requests relating to either unspent grant income or delays in expenditure where cost pressures would follow through into 2013/14.  This included a carry forward request of £297,000 by the Education Portfolio to cover the costs of urgent property works to Children’s Centres within the Borough.

In considering the budget monitoring position for the Education Portfolio, the Chairman noted the underspend of £200k projected for the Referral and Assessment Children’s Centres.  This was due to staff vacancies within the service, and a £64k contribution from the Tackling Troubled Families Grant, and the Chairman queried whether the posts might be deleted if service levels had not been affected. 

An overspend had been identified within the Adult Education service due to a drop in tuition fees as a result of the free courses which the college provided for Jobcentre Plus, as well as the 24+ funding scheme which had resulted in a fixed cut of £53k of grant allocation for student loans irrespective of take-up.  There had been a large reduction in the Skills Funding Agency grant for Adult Education between the 2010/11 and 2013/14 academic years.  The Head of Education, Care and Health Services Finance advised Members of the Sub-Committee that the final 2013/14 grant allocation was yet to be confirmed, but that the Adult Education Service was still required to provide free courses for Jobcentre Plus during the 2013/14 academic year.  The Chairman noted that the linked nurseries in the Adult Education Service were unlikely to achieve their fee income targets.  The Assistant Director: Education agreed to provide a briefing paper to Members with further details of the nurseries.

Members were pleased to note the way that the growth in demand for Special Education Needs services was being managed.  The Portfolio Holder for Education confirmed that the Dedicated Schools Grant was used where appropriate to support this growth in demand, but noted that the regulations on the use of Dedicated Schools Grant had become more restrictive which would limit how these funds could be accessed into the future.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The latest 2013/14 budget projection for the Education Portfolio be noted;

2)  The Portfolio Holder for Education be recommended to:

i)  Approve the draw down from central contingency of £297,000 as a carry forward request; and,

ii)  Approve the Education Portfolio Budget Monitoring Report 2013/14