Issue - meetings
Education Portfolio Outturn Report 2014/15
Meeting: 30/06/2015 - Children, Education and Families Budget Sub-Committee (Item 6)
6 EDUCATION PORTFOLIO OUTTURN REPORT 2014/15 
PDF 186 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Report ED15089
The Sub-Committee considered a report outlining the final outturn position of the Education Portfolio for the 2014/15 financial year. This showed an underspend of £246k for the Non-Schools budget, and an underspend of £940k for the Schools’ budget which would be added to the £8.95m Dedicated Schools Grant carried forward from previous years, resulting in a total of £9.89m carried forward into 2015/16.
The Finance Manager advised Members that it had been proposed that a provision of £300k of Dedicated Schools Grant be set aside as a Dedicated Schools Grant Redundancy Reserve to meet some of the costs that might arise as a result of any future reorganisation within Dedicated Schools Grant funded Education Services, with any unspent amount to be returned to the Schools’ budget. This proposal had been considered at the meeting of Schools’ Forum on 25th June 2015, where there had been general support for the proposal in principle. Work would be undertaken to clarify the legal position around the potential use of Dedicated Schools Grant as a Redundancy Reserve before the proposal was presented to Schools’ Forum for its agreement in Autumn 2015. A report would then be provided to the Education Budget Sub-Committee for its consideration, before the proposal was submitted to the Secretary of State for Education for final approval.
In considering the report, the Chairman noted the high level of Dedicated Schools Grant carried forward from previous years. The Finance Manager confirmed that of the £9.89m carried forward into 2015/16, £3m would contribute towards the refurbishment of Beacon House, £3.5m would be provided to schools in a one-off distribution, and £2m would be used to contain growth over two years, which would significantly reduce the level of Dedicated Schools Grant reserves held.
In response to a question from the Chairman, further information on a shortfall of income relating to Governor Services would be provided to Members following the meeting.
RESOLVED that:
1) The Education Portfolio Outturn Report 2014/15 be noted;
2) The Portfolio Holder for Education be recommended to endorse the 2014/15 Final Outturn for the Education Portfolio.
Meeting: 25/06/2015 - Schools' Forum (Item 40)
40 Education Portfolio Outturn Report 2014/15 PDF 186 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Report ED15089
The report set out details of the final budget outturn position for the Education Portfolio in 2014/15. There was an overall underspend of £246k for the Non-Schools Budget and an underspend of £940k for the Schools Budget. Officers reported a small correction to the report at paragraph 3.14, where use of the proposed Redundancy Reserve should be approved by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Assistant Director of Education.
It was proposed that provision of £300k be set aside in a new DSG redundancy reserve to meet some of the potential costs of any future reorganisations within DSG funded services. There were no specific reorganisation proposals, but the reserve would enable the most efficient use to be made of DSG funding, which was expected to come under increased pressure.
A number of Forum members expressed concerns regarding the regulations applicable to the proposal to set up a redundancy reserve, and it was suggested that, with only a few exemptions, the regulations required redundancy costs to be met from RSG, not DSG. The Forum suggested that the regulations should be checked and a report be brought to the next meeting.
RESOLVED that
(1) the final outturn position for 2014/15 is noted;
(2) consideration of the proposal to set up a DSG redundancy reserve be deferred to the next meeting.