Agenda item

Claire White introduced the report (Agenda Item 11), which set out the current financial position of the Early Years Block budget for 2016/17 and the possible position in 2017/18 based on the information received to date from the Government. Consultation results had been published late the previous week which meant that the options outlined in paragraph 6.1 were no longer applicable and the Early Years Funding Group would have to consider alternative models.

Peter Hudson noted that many of the reports on the meeting’s agenda had made reference to detail and clarification pending from the Department for Education. He wondered how a school could begin setting their budget with so much information unknown. Claire White advised that  schools would still  receive their budget allocations  by late January 2017. Peter Hudson asked whether schools could modify their budgets in-year. Claire White explained that schools could submit budget virements but she hoped that all the necessary information was known by the time schools set their budgets.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.