Agenda item

Report ED15099

The Sub-Committee considered a report setting out the budget monitoring position for the Education Portfolio based on expenditure to the end of July 2014.  The Schools’ Budget, funded from the Dedicated Schools’ Grant and specific grants was forecast to be in an underspend position of £1,308k, which would be carried forward into the next financial year.  The controllable part of the Non-Schools’ Budget, funded from Council Tax, Revenue Support and specific grants was forecast to be in an overspend position of £369k, assuming that £519k would be drawn from contingency to offset the shortfall in Education Services Grant.

In considering the budget monitoring position for the Education Portfolio, the Chairman highlighted the £90k overspend in the Youth Service.  The Head of Education, Care and Health Services Finance advised Members that this was due to the delayed implementation of savings, and that a further report would be provided to Members at the next meeting of Education Budget Sub-Committee.

The Chairman was concerned to note the overspend of £299k in the Bromley Adult Education College budget.  The Head of Service, Bromley Adult Education College confirmed that there had been an annual cut in grant funding for the Adult Education Service since 2010/11, and that there were difficulties in budgeting for the service due to the difference in the financial and academic year, as the annual budget for the Adult Education Service was agreed before the Skills Funding Agency funding was confirmed and therefore had to be developed based on historic figures.  Non-accredited courses were generally not run unless they generated at least £120 per hour to cover the course costs and overheads, however there were some instances where courses did not generate at least £120 per hour but cancelling the course would realise a bigger loss.

Work was being undertaken to target the overspend in the Bromley Adult Education College budget.  This included a ‘health check’ undertaken by Liberata during Summer 2014 to consider a range of potential efficiency measures, work to identify the contribution other services based at the Widmore Centre should make to the cost of overheads, and a possible reorganisation of the Adult Education Service to be focused on courses which met Government priorities or those which generated an appropriate level of income.  The results of the ‘health check’ would be reported later in 2014, and a consultation paper on the future operation of the three Bromley Adult Education College nurseries would also be published shortly.

In response to a query from a Member, the Head of Service, Bromley Adult Education College confirmed that current Government priorities for adult education were based around support into employment, upskilling in English and Mathematics and English for speakers of other languages.  The cost of delivering these courses was fully funded by the Government.  Community learning included the delivery of free family learning in schools, and non-accredited courses, such as cookery, art and leisure activities for which a fee was charged. 

A Member suggested that more work be undertaken to generate income for the College by building on the existing canteen provision, introducing parking charges and actively promoting the room booking facility, and requested that this be included in the review of fees and charges report to be considered at the next meeting of Education Budget Sub Committee.

Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP emphasised the need for the budget of the Bromley Adult Education College to be balanced by the end of the financial year, and requested that a report be provided to the next meeting of Education Budget Sub-Committee outlining the proposals in place to target the overspend as well as work undertaken around the potential future commissioning of the service. 

RESOLVED that:

1)  The latest 2014/15 budget projection for the Education Portfolio be noted;

2)  The Education Portfolio Budget Monitoring Report 2014/15 be recommended to the Portfolio Holder for Education for approval.