Agenda item

Melanie Ellis introduced the report (Agenda Item 9), which set out the confirmed Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocation for 2022/23. The final allocations had been received in December 2021 and were set out in the report.

Regarding the Schools’ block, Melanie Ellis drew attention to the table under 5.1. The growth allocation had now been received, which was £874k.  The estimate had been £900k. As recommended by officers andagreed by the Schools’ Forum this funding would be allocated to schools according to the agreed funding formula.

Melanie Ellis moved on to the High Needs Block (HNB) and reported that an additional £910k had been allocated. This was released by the DfE for additional costs that were not foreseen when the original allocations were made. The detail on this was included within the previous report on the HNB.

Melanie Ellis reported that the Central Schools Services Block had been finalised and had only changed by £7k. This money would be put towards the historic deficit of £70k. The figures for early years had also been received and were detailed under section eight of the report.

The table under section 9.1 of the report showed the actual deficit at 1^st April 2021, the forecast position in 2021/22 and the forecast for 2022/23 based on these levels of funding.

Jonathon Chishick understood that a couple of extra grants schools had been receiving for PE and Sport Premium were coming to an end in July 2022. He queried if the DfE had allocated any funds through the DSG to replace this funding. Melanie Ellis stated that she had not seen any detail on this within the funding allocations. Ian Pearson noted the point and stated that this would be looked in to in time for the next Forum in March, though the DfE had not given timescales for announcements.

RESOLVED that:

·         Melanie Ellis to look in to whether any replacement funding was planned by the DfE as a result of the PE and Sport Premium Grants ending in July 2022.