Agenda item

Report ED13005

The Sub-Committee considered a report setting out the draft Education Portfolio Budget 2013/14, which incorporated future cost pressures and initial draft saving options reported to Executive on 9^th January 2013.  Members were requested to consider the proposed savings and identify any further action to be taken to reduce the cost pressures facing the Council over the next four years.

Members of the Sub-Committee considered the draft 2013/14 budget.  In considering the statutory Children’s Information Service, which would be subsumed into a wider advice service targeted to parents in areas of deprivation, the Chairman noted that a wide range of information was available to parents via the internet and other sources.

A Member highlighted the proposed deletion of one post in the Education Psychology Service.  The Assistant Director: Education confirmed that this service would continue to provide a statutory service to maintained schools through the remaining post as well as offer a limited amount of additional support to schools as part of a sold service.  A Member was concerned that any reduction in service might impact other areas of Special Educational Needs funding.  Another Member noted that there might be an increase in privately funded assessments by independent Education Psychologists.  The Assistant Director: Education confirmed that independent assessments were challenged if the Local Authority did not agree, and that robust scrutiny of statementing by the Local Authority had slowed the increase in statements issued.  Increases were in proportion with the number of pupils with complex needs.

Members were generally concerned at changes to the Local Authority Central Spend Equivalent Grant (LACSEG) in respect of funding academies and Local Authorities.  The change in funding aimed to use a national average rate of £132 per pupil which would be removed from the Local Authority in respect of every pupil. This amounted to a top slice from funding of £6.581m.  The Local Authority, through the Education Support Grant (ESG), would be provided with £15 per pupil for all pupils regardless of where they attended school to fund statutory duties. In addition the Local Authority would receive £116 per pupil for each pupil attending a maintained school. As the Council was a low cost Local Authority with a high academy conversion rate, it would be detrimentally affected. Currently a top slice of Revenue Support Grant of £1.46m was taken from Bromley annually and early indications were that Bromley was likely to lose a further £3.3m in addition to the current top slice for 2013/14.  It was noted that Members and Officers had been in discussion with Ministers and Officers at the Department for Education to mitigate the impact of this loss and to look at alternate ways to manage funding.  A briefing note on changes to the Local Authority Central Spend Equivalent Grant would be provided to the next meeting of the Sub-Committee.

It was noted that changes had been made to the Dedicated Schools Grant with a new national funding formula to be introduced from 2015/16 which would ensure that similar pupils attracted similar levels of funding across the country.  To prepare for this change, the Department for Education had been working to simplify the local funding arrangements for 2013/14 and 2014/15, and to introduce a new approach to high needs funding that would help to improve transparency, quality and choice for young people and their families.  Bromley currently attracted around £220m in Dedicated Schools Grant.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The financial forecast for 2013/14 to 2015/16 be noted;

2)  Members’ comments on the initial draft saving options proposed by the Executive for 2013/14 be noted; and,

3)  Members’ comments on the initial draft 2013/14 Education Portfolio Budget be provided to the meeting of the Executive on 6^th February 2013.