Agenda item

Melanie Ellis introduced the report (Agenda Item 8), which aimed to provide schools with an update on 2022/23 Energy Costs through the Council’s Central Energy Contract for electricity and gas.

Melanie Ellis drew attention to section four of the report where it could be seen from the analysis carried out to date that enough provision had been made within budgets to cover the overall spend for electricity and gas. Melanie Ellis warned however, that it was possible this could change.

Melanie Ellis reported that schools had received a new supplementary grant from Government for 2022/23, which was aimed at covering inflationary pressures as well as the Health and Social Care Levy. Within the report there was an offer from Adrian Slaughter and the Energy Team for schools to get in touch if any further information was required on a school by school basis.

Richard Hand asked if the October 2022 increases in energy prices would impact schools as he was conscious that the cap was going to be increased again at this time. Melanie Ellis believed that the Energy Team purchased at various price points throughout the year. Melanie Ellis would feed the question back to Adrian Slaughter and he could provide some information to go out with the minutes.

RESOLVED that:

• Melanie Ellis would ask Adrian Slaughter for an answer to the question regarding whether if and how the October 2022 increases would impact schools in light of the cap being increased at this time. 
• The Schools’ Forum noted the report.