Agenda item

Lisa Potts introduced the report (Agenda Item 12), which set out the budget proposal for services funded from the Central School Services Block (CSSB) of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and to propose measures to enable the budget for this block to be balanced. Lisa Potts reported that the information was currently draft because they had not yet received the final figure for the allocation for next year. They were still also waiting on costing information relating to the licensing.

The provisional allocation was quarter a percent lower than for the current year. This was positive because in previous years there had been a substantial reduction in the grant. The table under 5.1 of the report showed the budget requirement for the services that fell within the CSSB for 2023/24 compared to 2022/23. There was an expected shortfall on the block for 2024/25 of about £39k however, it was believed that there might be some scope for savings around the Capita System. It was hoped that this could help to balance the block. Further information would be brought back to the next meeting in January 2024.

Trevor Keable noted that the current income from fines was £11k and queried if this was an area that would be pushed to try and generate increased income. Lisa Potts clarified that this was around fines for parents taking children out of school during term time. The Vice Chair was aware that schools took different approaches to fines but did not believe there was a LA wide agreed way forward on this. It was suggested that Lisa Potts look into this in time for the next meeting.

RESOLVED that:

·       Lisa Potts would look into whether there was a LA wide agreed approach to fines for parents who took children out of school during term time.

·       The Schools’ Forum noted the report.