Agenda item
DSG Monitoring 2015/16 Month 9
Minutes:
The Schools Forum considered a report (Agenda Item 6) which set out the current position of the services funded by the Dedicated Schools Grant, highlighting any under or overspends forecasted at month 9 of the 2015/16 financial year.
At the end of December 2015 the total DSG overspend position forecast for year end was £495k, compared to the month 7 forecast of £680k overspend, all in the high needs block. The data was shown at table 1 in the report:
|
Table 1 Financial Position as at Month 9 |
Total Current Budget £ |
Forecast Year End @ Month 9 £ |
Outturn Variance Month 9 £ |
Outturn Variance Month 7 £ |
|
Schools Block (inc ISB) |
65,464,140 |
65,461,440 |
-2,700 |
-2,700 |
|
Early Years Block |
7,629,750 |
7,629,750 |
0 |
0 |
|
High Needs Block |
16,141,010 |
16,639,240 |
498,230 |
683,270 |
|
Total Net Expenditure |
89,234,900 |
89,730,430 |
495,530 |
680,570 |
|
Support Service Recharges |
720,890 |
720,890 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total Expenditure |
89,955,790 |
90,451,320 |
495,530 |
680,570 |
|
DSG Grant |
-89,955,790 |
-89,955,790 |
0 |
0 |
|
Net Position |
0 |
495,530 |
495,530 |
680,570 |
The Schools Block was expected to be largely on line.
Although Table 1 showed no variance on the early years block, there was likely to be an under spend. Due to the volatile nature of both early years block funding and payments to providers, forecasts could only be based on current trends. Once the January 2016 census data was available to determine the actual funding received in year, and spring term payments had been made for actual hours of provision, the forecast for this block could be accurately assessed. It was anticipated that there would be a large under spend in order to support the early years budget for 2016/17, otherwise the rates paid to providers would need to be reduced.
The High Needs Block was currently forecasting an overspend of £498k, most of which was due to new placements in non West Berkshire Special schools, mainly Thames Valley Free School, and top ups at the PRUs. Other pressures included additional placements over and above allocated place numbers in maintained special schools, and payments to private hospital tuition providers, but these were offset by under spends in top ups for non maintained special schools and further education colleges. The forecast had gone down compared to month 7, and represented the position as at the end of the autumn term.
In addition to the £498k overspend on the high needs expenditure budget, the Schools Forum had set the budget for this block £127k over the actual grant available. This meant that £625k would need to be met from the 2016/17 allocation of DSG.
Ian Pearson concluded that the report provided a reasonably accurate forecast of the year end position.
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
Supporting documents:
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