Agenda item

Report ED12074

The Sub-Committee considered a report outlining the final outturn position for the Education Portfolio for the 2012/13 financial year.  This showed an underspend of £3,091,000 for the controllable element of the Education budget.  A carry forward request had been made to the Council’s Executive for £297,000, and should this be agreed, the final outturn position would be £2,794,000 for the 2012/13 financial year.

In considering the final outturn position for 2012/13, Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP congratulated the Education, Care and Health Services Department for the significant underspend in the controllable element of the Education Portfolio Budget.  Members noted the carry forward requested totalling £297,000, and the Head of Education, Care and Health Services confirmed that this request had been made to fund essential repairs to Castlecombe and Mottingham Children’s Centres.  The Portfolio Holder for Education noted that consideration was being given to the wider use of children’s centres across the Borough as key community hubs.

The Chairman noted the overspend of £21k by the Access and Admissions Service which was attributed to lower levels of staff turnover than budgeted for and  printing of brochures, posters and application forms.  The Assistant Director: Education confirmed that the move to an online school admissions process remained a priority, and that the overspend was partially due to the purchasing of licenses to support online schools admissions which would remain an ongoing cost. 

The SEN and Inclusion Service had delivered an underspend of £695,000, primarily due to price increases below inflation, optimisation of route planning and a one-off overachievement of recoupment income.  There was also a one-off underspend of £200k relating to previous years items.  A Member queried the cost of £12k on vehicle repairs as Members understood that the SEN Transport service was completely outsourced.

Councillor Julian Grainger highlighted the increase in recharges to the Dedicated Schools Grant by £560k to £1,377k to cover additional fixed costs and recharges.  The Head of Education, Care and Health Services Finance confirmed that this funding was comprised of recharges to the centrally retained element of the Schools Block Funding which covered the costs of the Local Authority in managing services funded from the Dedicated Schools Grant. The level of funding had recently been reviewed to ensure the cost to the Local Authority was accurately reflected.  Councillor Julian Grainger noted the total underspend of £5,426k on Dedicated Schools Grant Services in 2012/13, and it was confirmed that Dedicated Schools Grant funds must be spent on specific Education activities and that, subject to approval, these surplus funds might be given to schools as a one off payment, whilst some funds might be carried forward to offset future expected budgetary pressures.  Any payment to schools from the Dedicated Schools Grant would include payment to academy schools, which would be provided via the Education Funding Agency.

In response to a question from a Member, the Head of Education, Care and Health Services Finance confirmed that the EDC Trading Account was no longer trading since the closure of the Education Development Centre in April 2013.

The Chairman suggested that a cross-Portfolio review might be undertaken of the broad range of services for children and young people, including Children’s Centres and the Bromley Youth Support Programme to ensure there was no duplication of service provision and that services were targeted at those most in need.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The underspend of £3,091, 000 on controllable expenditure at the end of 2012/13 be noted;

2)  The carry forward request to the Council’s Executive for £297,000 be noted; and,

3)  The Education Portfolio Outturn Report 2012/13 be recommended to the Portfolio Holder for Education for approval.