Nicola Webb presented an
overview of the key points in respect of the Draft Dedicated Schools Grant
(DSG) Budget 2019/20.
Key Points raised:
- Funding was estimated; this has always been the case at this point,
but more so than usual due to the formation of Bournemouth, Christchurch
and Poole (BCP).
- There is uncertainty over the Growth Fund; figures had not been
released by the Government.
Expectation was that BCP would be in the protected range.
- No confirmation from the Government in respect of mainstream
funding formula rates for primary and secondary across BCP had been
received. The exact figures for
funding will also depend on the October 2018 school census.
- The Central Services Block figures were considered to be an
accurate representation but will change slightly also from the census.
- High Needs figures were estimated at this stage. Adjustments will be made following the
December settlement announcements and January 2019 census.
- Early Years funding rates are the same across the 3 Local Authority
areas and will be the same for BCP.
Adjustments to funding levels will be made following the census in
January 2019 and January 2020.
- Despite the level of uncertainly, the budget needs to be progressed
for completion in December 2018; there may be residual issues that need to
be looked at after the December settlement as on occasions DfE have made late changes to the national
arrangements.
- The Early Years paper had not been presented for this meeting but a
lot of work had been completed at this stage and it will come to the
meeting on 13 November 2018.
- The High Needs Block was confirmed to be a major issue; there is a
£5.7 million shortfall in the annual budget as currently presented.
- There has been no guidance yet from Government regarding how the
Local Authorities should deal with deficits (£4.5 million estimated for
Bournemouth and Christchurch coming into BCP from 1 April). The DSG shortfall for 2019/20 needs to
be addressed prior to the deficit being considered. The timescale for Government guidance
was queried and it was confirmed that this was to be expected within 2
weeks.
Questions were invited
from those present and responses were provided as follows:
·
A transfer of 1% has been proposed from the
Early Years block; it considered this was disproportionally high. The Early
Years Sub-Group has requested that this transfer was reduced to 0.5% due to the
lack of deficit in Poole. It was
confirmed that the transfer was required to support 2019/20 in-year needs, not
the deficit.
·
Local Authorities can retain up to 5%. Even with a 1% transfer, the BCP planned
overall retention is lower than this.
·
The final decision is for the Shadow
Council.
·
It was confirmed that Christchurch Early
Years providers had been included in the discussions.
·
High needs pressures in 2018-19 were listed
as £1.7 – 2 million, with little of it included within the estimated £4.5
million deficit by the end of the year.
It was confirmed that the forecast deficit figure took into account
potential savings from other budgets and the use of DSG reserves still
available in Poole.
The Chair thanked all for
their input.
RESOLVED
that the report be noted.