Agenda item

1.      The DSG Settlement for 2023-24 was received on 16 December 2022. Compared with 2022-23 it provided a 6.4% increase in funding overall:

a.   Indicative allocations for the early years block reflecting increased unit values of 5% for 2 year olds and 5.2% for 3&4 year olds.      

b.   Final allocations for the school’s block based on the October 2022 schools census with the increase in funding through the schools NFF at £6 million (2.5%). Higher funding values account for £3.7 million (1.5%) as reported in November, with additional pupils at census providing a further £2.3 million (1.0%).  Funding for in-year pupil growth at September 2023, has decreased by £43,000 compared with last year. 

c.   A supplementary grant for mainstream schools was announced in the Autumn statement. The £8.5 million for BCP is equivalent to a further funding increase of 3.5%, bringing the mainstream schools increase to 6.0% overall.   

d.   Allocations for the central school services block provide a reduction compared with last year of £12,000 for on-going LA functions with previous levels of funding not yet restored for historic commitments. 

e.   Indicative allocations for the high needs block are for an increase of £5.2 million (9.7%). This includes the supplementary grant for high needs providers of £2.4 million announced in the Autumn Statement. 

A draft DSG budget is provided in the Appendix to provide context for decisions on the meeting agenda.  The funding gap for high needs pupils is projected to grow to £27 million in 2023/24.      

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

Other papers on the agenda considered the impact of the Settlement and DSG budget in detail.

The DSG Settlement for 2023-24 was received on 16 December 2022. Compared with 2022-23 it provided a 6.4% increase in funding overall:

a.   Indicative allocations for the early years block reflecting increased unit values of 5% for 2 year olds and 5.2% for 3&4 year olds.      

b.   Final allocations for the school’s block based on the October 2022 schools census with the increase in funding through the schools NFF at £6 million (2.5%). Higher funding values account for £3.7 million (1.5%) as reported in November, with additional pupils at census providing a further £2.3 million (1.0%).  Funding for in-year pupil growth at September 2023, has decreased by £43,000 compared with last year. 

c.   A supplementary grant for mainstream schools was announced in the Autumn statement. The £8.5 million for BCP is equivalent to a further funding increase of 3.5%, bringing the mainstream schools increase to 6.0% overall.   

d.   Allocations for the central school services block provide a reduction compared with last year of £12,000 for on-going LA functions with previous levels of funding not yet restored for historic commitments. 

e.   Indicative allocations for the high needs block are for an increase of £5.2 million (9.7%). This includes the supplementary grant for high needs providers of £2.4 million announced in the Autumn Statement. 

A draft DSG budget was provided in the Appendix to provide context for decisions on the meeting agenda.  The funding gap for high needs pupils was projected to grow to £27 million in 2023/24. 

Dr Lewis had submitted the following comment by email, which the Chair asked to be recorded in the minutes:

Within the executive summary it is stated that:

“c. A supplementary grant for mainstream schools was announced in the Autumn statement. The £8.5 million for BCP is equivalent to a further funding increase of 3.5%, bringing the mainstream schools increase to 6.0% overall.”

This is, in my view, misleading. It fails to acknowledge the unfunded pay awards given to teachers and support staff, the cost of which had not been known when NFF allocations were originally determined. I would suggest that a 6.0% overall increase in funding would barely cover increased staff costs, let alone increasing energy costs and the rising cost of maintaining school infrastructure. The additional funding announced as part of the Autumn statement should be disregarded in the context of this discussion (it is not part of the DSG).  I note that the 9.7% increase in funding for the HNB has not been highlighted in a similar fashion.

It was advised, in response, that although this was not part of the dedicated schools grant it was important, as it provided the overall context of increases in school funding.

RESOLVED that the Schools Forum noted the contents of the report.

Voting: Nem. Con