Issue - meetings

Report ED17032

The Schools’ Forum considered a report which provided an outline of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocation for 2017/18 and an overview of how this would be spent.  The DfE released the DSG allocations on 20^th December 2016 alongside the second stage of the consultation on the National Funding Formula (NFF) and the High Needs Funding Formula (HNFF) to be introduced in 2019/20.  The final DSG allocation was in line with the expectations of LA Officers with details of the allocation set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

For 2017/18 the Blocks were not ring fenced and therefore an overspend in one block could be offset against an underspend in another block in order to ensure that the DSG was balanced overall.  The Early Years Block funding had been allocated based on the new Early Years Funding Formula (EYFF) which had been consulted on earlier in the year.  The allocation for Bromley had increased, as anticipated, which meant that no savings had needed to be found in this area and that most EY providers would see an increase in their funding in 2017/18.

The High Needs Block had received an allocation of £46 million from which the DfE deducted funding recouped for an agreed number of places at special academies, AP academies and other post 16 institutions.  These deductions totalled £6.774 million bringing the allocation to the High Needs Block down to £39.2 million.

It had been anticipated that around £2 million savings needed to be identified and achieved within the High Needs Block in 2017/18.  Following the meeting of the Schools’ Forum on 15^th November 2016 and the meeting of the Working Group on 12^th December 2016 the following savings were identified and included in the proposed budget allocation for 2017/18:

-  1.5% reduction on top up bands for special schools, AP provision and unit places from September  £86k

-  1.5% reduction on banded top up funding for statemented pupils in mainstream schools from September £25k

-  Savings to be identified within the Sensory Support Services £50k

-  Additional funding target for primary and secondary schools to contribute towards the cost of non PEX (permanently excluded pupils) at the PRUs  £100k

-  Savings to SEN transport costs charged to the DSG  £100k

-  Savings to be identified within the Phoenix Pre School Service £392k

The savings identified totalled £753,000, considerably short of the target that had been originally identified and, even after receiving around £460,000 for population growth, the High Needs Block remained overspent by £820,000.  In recognition of the challenges facing Local Authorities in Balancing the High Needs Block the DfE had announced a new grant entitled High Needs Strategic Planning Fund.  This was to be paid to Local Authorities in January 2017.  Bromley would receive a one off payment of £140,000 to be used to carry out a full strategic review of the high needs provision.

Prior to the re-alignment of the funding blocks in 2016/17, the Schools Block was overspent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28