Agenda item

Ian Pearson introduced the report (Agenda Item 10) which set out the forecast financial position of the services funded by the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), highlighting any under or over spends, and to highlight the cumulative deficit on the DSG.

Ian Pearson drew attention to the table under section 5.1 of the report, which provided the forecast position at the end of June. Ian Pearson added that it was important not to be misled by figures provided and highlighted the cumulative deficit figure on the bottom line of Table 1. The Early Years and High Needs Blocks were facing the largest pressures and a lot of time had been spent focusing on these areas to help bring them into a more balanced position. Ian Pearson stated that whilst Table 1 indicated a forecast cumulative deficit position at the end of the financial year (£2,723k), this needed to be seen in the context of balancing across the different blocks. Ian Pearson drew attention to Table 2 under 5.4, which provided the overall position of the different blocks, which led to the figure of £2,723K. There were surpluses in some blocks and significant deficits in others. It was important to note that there were two elements being measured, including the expected position at the end of the current financial year and the cumulative position.

Ian Pearson added that there was further detail set out in the appendices to the report. It was noted that as quarter one was early in the financial year the figures could move substantially.

David Ramsden asked if there was an indication from the Department for Education (DfE) on when there would be a strategy for tackling the deficit in high needs across the country and he noted the next item on the agenda (Item 12), which provided information on English county councils warning of a £1.3bn special educational needs deficit.

Ian Pearson reported that Item 12 helped put the high needs deficit in West Berkshire in context with the rest of the country. It was highlighted that the combined deficit for 40 authorities had gone up from £134m in 2018/19 to a projected £1.3bn in 2022/23. The Government looked to be engaging in conversations with those local authorities with the largest deficits in proportion to their overall DSG budget.

Ian Pearson reported that The Government were due to carry out a national SEND review, which would look at the practicalities of how young people with SEND were supported. It would also look at what SEND children were currently being provided with and what the cost of this was. The review had been delayed and a date had not been confirmed for when it would take place. The outcome of this review was required before there was any certainty about the next steps moving forward. Locally in the meantime, a number of invest to save strategies had been put in place.

RESOLVED that the Schools’ Forum noted the report.