Schools Funding Formula and Early Years Funding Formula
Meeting: 14/02/2022 - Children and Families Committee (Item 59)
59 Schools Funding Formula and Early Years Funding Formula 2022/23 
PDF 128 KB
To approve the schools funding formula and early years funding formula.
Additional documents:
- 2b. Appendix 1 - Setting the Schools Funding Formula 2022-23, item 59
PDF 153 KB
- 2c. Appendix 2 - Recommended Formula - Factors and Values 2022-23, item 59
PDF 161 KB
- 2d. Appendix 3 - Further details of the Early Years NFF April 2017, item 59
PDF 34 KB
- 2e. Appendix 4 - Hourly rates payable to providers of the Free Early Education Entitlements, item 59
PDF 31 KB
- 2f. Appendix 5 - Proposed hourly rates payable to providers of the Free Early Education Entitlements, item 59
PDF 32 KB
Minutes:
Councillor Beanland left the meeting ahead of the debate and vote.
The committee received the report which requested approval of the schools funding formula and early years funding formula following recommendations from the Schools Forum.
Paragraph 3.3 had been removed from the recommendations after publication of the report as this had been subject to approval from the Department for Education which had not been received.
A query was raised regarding the number of maintained schools in a deficit position and it was agreed that this would be provided in a written response.
It was requested that the relevant ward members be informed if schools in their ward would cease to receive funding for rurality.
A query was raised regarding the Council’s disapplication to the Department for Education to reverse the decision of the Schools Forum against the transfer of high needs, and whether there had been delegated authority to officers for this. It was agreed that a written response would be provided.
RESOLVED (unanimously):
1. That the Committee approves the following for the adoption of the schools funding formula 2022/23:
(i) The use of a local funding formula that uses the national funding formula factors, uplifted for the Cheshire East area cost adjustment, and with any additional funding being allocated via the basic entitlement factor.
(ii) The use of +0.5% as the minimum funding guarantee percentage. This means that individual school funding levels should increase by +0.5% compared to the 2021/22 levels (subject to the items included in minimum funding guarantee protection) and excluding pupil number changes.
(iii) The Growth Fund at £0.8m.
2. That the Committee approves the following for the adoption of the early years funding formula 2022/23:
(i) The continued use of the current funding formula and agrees to increase the hourly rates by the same percentage increase as the increased funding from the Department for Education.
(ii) The new funding rates. The rates for 2021/22 are shown at Appendix 4 and the proposed rates for 2022/23 are set out at Appendix 5.
(iii) The revised classifications for rurality are introduced from 1 April 2022. Three childcare providers would cease to be classified as Rural and should cease to receive funding for rurality from 1 April 2022.
(iv) Delegated authority to the Director of Prevention and Support to enter into revised contracts with providers in accordance with the Department for Education funding increase.