Issue - meetings

The report considers the projected year end position for the DSG budget 2021-22 of £1.2 million overspent against the £9.6 million budgeted funding gap. In year this adds £10.8 million to the deficit.

The cumulative deficit at 31 March 2022 is forecast to be £18.6 million.

The report then considers the projected budget gap for 2022-23 of £17.7 million.

The Assistant Chief Financial Officer presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Forum Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Officers responded to Forum Members’ comments and requests for clarification, details included:

• There was originally an ambition to look at individual school budget setting earlier than historically, but there had been resourcing issues within Children’s Services and as a result, Financial Services had recently picked up this piece of work, which had ultimately delayed the process. It was therefore anticipated that a consultation would be produced over the course of the next few weeks and subsequently sent to schools to complete. No significant changes were being planned for the next year.
• Approximately 60% of schools within the area were already on the minimal per pupil funding level on the National Funding Formula (NFF) and so many would have a good idea as to what their funding would look like, provided they had their October Census pupil figures
• For schools not on minimal per pupil funding, it was more difficult to estimate what budgets would look like, but work was being undertaken and would be included in the consultation paper
• The team was planning for a 0.5% (£1.1million) transfer this year, as had previously been done, although this would only be recommended if the national funding formula could be met in full, a this would not be known until December when the final data was available.
• For 2023/24 budgets, the Government was planning for Local Authorities moving their own local funding formulas towards the national formula and would be publishing how that would need be achieved, although this would not impact BCP Council, which had already achieved this. There were also plans for the remaining local exceptional formula factors and the growth fund to be included within the NFF that year.