Agenda item

This report provides forum with information on the 2016/17 financial outturn for the Dedicated Schools Grant, and includes information on the year end schools balances.

Andrew Ward introduced the report.

In relation to the Schools block, the formula had been set in December 2015 and no changes were expected apart from the national non-domestic rates (NNDR) builds. 

An underspend of £1.2M on Pupil Growth budget was reported. This budget had been reduced by £1M to reflect the slowing down of demand for primary school places.

AW highlighted underspend in the Nursery Education Grant (NEG), but assured the Schools Forum Members that the Early Years Block had been balanced. There was underspending on High Needs Block residential and independent settings which had been consistent with the Brent’s strategy to create more placements in the borough.

Members of the Schools Forum asked questions of clarity regarding the DSG Early Years and High Needs blocks. Forum members asked what was done to monitor individual schools budget positions. Brian Grady confirmed that Brent Council had assurance processes in place and a paper on these processes would be brought to a future Schools Forum meeting.

The Department for Education (DfE) recoup formula and high needs place funding from the DSG had been allocated directly to academies and free schools. Therefore, this was the difference between the £302 million DSG for Brent and the £195 million reported in appendix A.

Lesley Gouldbourne addressed the Schools Forum in relation to the Trade Union’s Facilities Funding ‘pot’.

The underspend in 2016/17 was £47,610.91 (out of a fund of £143,830) Lesley Gouldbourne requested that the underspend was allocated to reimburse schools who released representatives for training in 2016/17, with the remaining amount being carried forward to the 2017/18 to mitigate the current shortfall.

A Forum Member enquired how proactive Trade Union representatives had been as her school had not been approached by a Trade Union to elect representatives. In response, Lesley Gouldbourne said that Trade Unions emailed members three times a year, encouraging them to select representatives.

A Forum Member enquired why the figures presented by Lesley Gouldbourne were different from the ones presented by the Council (Appendices A and C on pages 53 and 58 to the Agenda Pack). The chair requested the figures in both appendices to be checked and a reconciled figure sent to the Schools Forum members.

A Forum Member enquired whether it would be possible for Trade Unions to contribute to the Brent Facilities Funding ‘Pot’ and whether support provided to academies could be charged at MP6 rates. Lesley Gouldbourne explained that changes would not reflect the actual cost for releasing officers and it would be difficult to adapt the system as officers could change. Andrew Ward said that he would look into this issue and report back to the Schools Forum.

RESOLVED that:

(i)    The contents of the ‘DSG Financial Outturn 2016/2017’ paper be noted;

(ii)  An update on the new Pupil Growth and Infant Class Sizes formula developed by the LGA be presented to the Schools Forum at a future meeting;

(iii)   A report related to possible options and arrangements for budgeting and spending the DSG underspends currently in reserve be brought to the next Schools Forum meeting.