Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Strategic Director of Children, Families and Adults.

Debbie Torjussen, Principal Accountant, attended to provide the Committee with an update on two areas relating to school finance. Firstly, she provided a summary of the government’s most recent funding reforms for schools, proposed for implementation from April 2013.

Debbie explained that the implications of the proposals for reforming schools funding would have a significant impact on all schools. One of the major changes was how the Council would be expected to allocate lump sums to schools. Debbie reported that the current arrangement was to provide up to £60k to primary schools and £360k for secondary schools. Under the new arrangements the DfE would expect that one lump sum (between £100k-£150k) would be attributable to all schools at the same rate. It was suggested the implications of this change be included in the scheduled paper on the school organisation plan as it could potentially effect whether the Council had the most efficient allocation of school places.

Debbie continued to outline changes to deprivation funding, funding for pupils with high needs and early years funding. Each area had its own workstream and associated timeframe. It was suggested that a Members training event could be arranged to go through the potential impacts of these changes in more detail

Debbie moved on to summarise the Borough’s schools balances at the end of 2011/12. She noted that the balances at the end of 2011/12 were £14.962m. Debbie explained that it was not surprising that schools had held back balances in light of some uncertainty in terms of future funding. Having said this, Debbie stated that the Council was attempting to encourage schools to use funds for children currently in the system. If a large surplus in terms of schools balances remained, Debbie confirmed that the Council would monitor this and take appropriate action.

RESOLVED –

a)    That the Committee endorse the approach outlined in the paper in respect of changes to schools funding and the impact on Cheshire

b)    That the implications of the proposed changes to lump sum allocation be included in the scheduled school organisation plan paper.

c)    That a Member training event be arranged to go through the potential impacts of the government’s recent funding reforms for schools.