Agenda item

Ian Pearson introduced the report (Agenda Item 9) , which set out the budget proposal for the services funded from the Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and proposed measures to enable the budget for this block to be balanced.

The budget for 2019/20 was £1,108,030 and the budget requirement in 2020/21 was £1,007,729. Costs had reduced within a number of areas of the block however, there was a still a shortfall in funding. The table of page 71 of the report showed how the shortfall would be met and had been reduced to £49k, through money being realised from the ESG unutilised grant.

Ian Pearson reported that the Early Years Block would be reported on at the next round of meetings as it was based on information from the January school census.

Reverend Mark Bennet noted that capacity was reducing in the CSSB and queried if there was enough capacity to deliver services. Ian Pearson commented that there had been some reductions within services overall in the CSSB. Councillor Erik Pattenden queried what could not be delivered as a result of the reduced capacity. Ian Pearson reported that the had been a 29% reduction in the Schools’ Finance Team. Melanie Ellis stated that finance support was restricted however, they were currently managing with fewer staff. Ian Pearson highlighted some of the other reductions in the block and stated that this would need revisiting the following year.

The Chairman invited member of the Forum to consider the recommendation under section 2.1 of the report to agree the 2020/21 budget for the CSSB. Antony Gallagher proposed that the budget be approved and this was seconded by John Hewitt. At the vote the motion was carried.

RESOLVED that the Schools’ Forum agree the CSSB budget for 2020/21 as set out in section 2.1 of the report.