Issue - meetings

Report ED17034

The Sub-Committee considered a report setting out information on the 2017/18 Dedicated Schools’ Grant (DSG) and how it would be allocated.

On 20^th December 2016, the DfE released the DSG allocations for 2017/18 alongside the second stage of the consultation on the National Funding Formula (NFF) and the High Needs Funding Formula to be introduced for 2019/20.  The consultation was due to close on 22^nd March 2017.

The DSG allocation was in line with the expectation of LA officers.  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 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) consulted on earlier in the year.  As anticipated, the allocation for Bromley had increased meaning that not only had the LA not needed to find any savings in this area but also that most EY providers would see an increase in their funding in 2017/18.  In November 2016 the Schools’ Forum was consulted about the proposed funding formula for 2017/18.  The outcome of the consultation supported the LA’s recommendation to only have one element (deprivation) in the new funding formula, but for this to be allocated using both IDACI (Income of Deprivation Affecting Children Index) and EY Pupil Premium entitlement as the measures of deprivation. 

As a result of this most settings would see an increase in funding, with the exception of a small number of settings that had previously received additional funding through the SEN factor which was no longer an allowable factor.  It was however anticipated that the impact of this would not be significant.

Funding for 2 year olds would remain at £6.00 per hour, however the funding received by the LA would increase from £5.28 to £5.66, reducing the amount by which this was subsidised by 3 and 4 year old funding.

The outcome from the consultation also introduced a requirement for all LAs to establish an SEN Inclusion Fund – for Bromley it had already been proposed that the expenditure relating to the SEN Support in Pre-schools (SIPS) programme would move from the High Needs Block to the Early Years Block.  That this was deemed to fulfil the new requirement.

The following additional new funding allocations for  2017/18 would also be received:  (i) Disability Access Funding of £73,800 – allocated to pupils in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance; and (ii) Additional 15 hours free childcare of £2.6m which would come into effect from September 2017.

The Early Years Block had been balanced to zero as expected and was therefore neither subsidised by nor subsidising either the Schools Block or the High Needs Block.  The High Needs Block had received an allocation of £46m from which the DfE deducted funding recouped for an agreed number of places at special academies, AP academies and other post 16 institutions at a total of £6.774m which then  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45