Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that provided details of the results of the consultation on proposed changes to the Fair Funding Scheme of Delegation ("the Scheme") and sought approval for recommended changes to the Scheme and the Fair Funding Formula. Appendices to the report set out details of the Consultation summary of responses, the de-delegation levels approved for 2018-2019, and the Fair Funding Consultation 2019-2020.

Under Section 48 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, Local Authorities (LAs) were required to have schemes of delegation which set out the financial controls and arrangements that would operate between schools and the LA. Any proposed revisions to schemes and/or the Fair Funding Formula must be the subject of consultation and required approval by the Schools Forum.

The Department for Education (DFE) published the "Schools Revenue Funding 2019-2020: Operational Guide" which set out the school revenue funding arrangements for 2019-2020.

The DFE introduced its National Funding Formula (NFF) for LAs in 2018-2019, whereby allocations for LAs were determined under the NFF approach, but LAs retained control over how they chose to distribute that funding amongst their schools. In Coventry the decision was made to mirror the NFF allocation for schools as far as possible as this provided all schools with a minimum 0.5% increase in funding per pupil.

There had not been any significant changes to the operation of the local school funding formula for 2019-2020; with the main changes (including a new funding floor factor) aimed at providing flexibility to allow LAs to honour the Funding Floor (a net 1% per pupil funding increase compared with 2017-2018) as set out in the NFF.

The consultation document was circulated on the 5^th November 2018 to Head Teachers including Academy Head Teachers/Principals, Chairs of Governing Bodies, Trades Unions, Diocesan authorities, the Coventry Governors Association, members of the Schools Forum and Early Years Free Entitlement providers in the private, voluntary and Independent sectors. The 4-week consultation period ended on 30^th November 2018.

Stakeholder groups, including Primary and Secondary Head Teacher Partnerships, Primary Finance representative head teachers, the Schools Trade Union representatives, Coventry Governors and the Schools Forum, were briefed throughout the consultation period. The consultation document also sought to act as an information document to school stakeholders regarding anticipated local budget pressures.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Approves the recommended changes to the Fair Funding Formula and Fair Funding Scheme of Delegation, which are summarised in section 3 of the report.

2)  Delegates authority to the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, following consultation with the Director of Education and Skills, to make any necessary amendments to the final detail of these recommended changes, in order to comply with the School Finance (England) Regulations 2018, once full detail of the schools funding settlement has been published by the Department for Education for 2019/20. Any changes will be made following discussion with the Schools Forum as appropriate.