Issue - meetings

Joint report

The Cabinet considered a joint report of the Director of Education, Libraries and Adult Learning and the Executive Director of Resources, which provided the results of the consultation on the proposed changes to the Fair Funding Scheme of Delegation and set out proposals for recommended changes to the Scheme and the Fair Funding Formula.

The Cabinet noted that under Section 48 of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998, Local Authorities were required to have schemes of delegation which set out the financial controls and arrangement that would operate between schools and the Local Authority.  Any proposed revisions to these schemes and/or the Fair Funding Formula must be the subject of consultation and required approval from the Schools Forum.

The Department for Education (DfE) published the Schools Revenue Funding 2016 to 2017: Operational Guide”, which set out the school revenue funding arrangements for 2016/17.  Although the DfE had not introduced any directed changes, the Council were proposing some changes to the formula.

The consultation document was circulated to Headteachers, including Academy Headteachers/Principals, Chairs of Governing Bodies, Trades Unions, Diocesan authorities, the Coventry Governors Association, members of the Schools Forum, Early Years free entitlement providers in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sectors and elected members on 9^th September 2015.  The consultation period ended on 7^th October 2015.

The report set out the proposed arrangements under four areas: De-delegated Services, Deprivation Formula Funding, High Needs Banded Funding Framework and Fair Funding Scheme of Delegation.

In particular, the Cabinet noted the position in relation to the Deprivation Formula Funding, where analysis of the implementation of the Pupil Premium Grant (PPG) additional resources had identified a gap in per pupil funding. The current difference in formula deprivation funding was £950 per pupil in both primary and secondary education.  Arising from the implementation of the PPG, the difference in total deprivation funding between the highest and lowest funded schools increased by £750 to £1,700 per primary age pupil and increased by £350 to £1,300 per secondary age pupil.

The substantial amount of additional funding being directed at deprived pupils through the Pupil Premium Grant had appreciably changed the amount of deprivation led funding available to schools and the range of per pupil funding levels. It was therefore important to ensure that the overall level of resource now targeted at deprived pupils remained at an appropriate level.

Schools had been consulted on 2 options which both included the recommendation that a working group be set up to undertake a more detailed review to inform 2017/18 budget setting.  The report submitted set out the proposals for each option and the Cabinet noted that the consultation document asked stakeholders for their preference, and any general comments on the proposal. The responses were roughly 50% in favour of each option. It was therefore intended to go ahead with option B, which was to do further work with school stakeholders and make proposals for changing in funding from 2017/18. This would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65