Agenda Item 5
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Report to: |
Schools’ Forum
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Date of meeting:
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19 November 2021 |
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Report By: |
Alison Jeffery
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Title: |
De-delegated Contingency update
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Purpose: |
To provide an update on expenditure from the de-delegated contingency fund |
RECOMMENDATIONS
1) Schools’ Forum are asked to note the update on the expenditure from the De-delegated contingency.
1 Background
1.1 Since 2017/18, Schools’ Forum (maintained school representatives) have agreed, on an annual basis, to the de-delegation of contingency funds. (De-delegation relates to maintained schools only).
1.2 Contingency funds can only be held for a limited range of circumstances:
- Exceptional unforeseen costs which it would be unreasonable to expect governing bodies to plan for
- Schools in financial difficulties
- Additional costs relating to new, re-organised and closing schools
- Managing extra ordinary personnel matters
1.3 At the Sept ’21 Schools Forum meeting, Schools’ Forum agreed to the continuation of the de- delegated contingency fund for 2022/23. The amount that schools contribute to the contingency fund is £11.08 per pupil (Primary Phase) and £15.81 (Secondary Phase).
2 Summary of Expenditure
2.1 Table 1 is a summary of expenditure since 2017/18 for the Primary and Secondary Phases.
2.2 Please note that the total ‘pot’ in the Primary Phase, for 2021/22, is £270,700, whilst for the Secondary Phase, it is £142,400 which, in total, equates to £413,100.
Table 1:
* For 2020/21, given the circumstances at the time, it was felt more appropriate that any available funds in the contingency ‘pot’ be distributed to all schools to help support the ad hoc costs associated with Covid.
** Currently, no unused funds have been redistributed back to schools. As part of the agreement to de-delegate contingency funds, 30% of any unspent funds will be distributed back to schools in Dec ‘21. Any remaining unused funds are to be redistributed back to schools in Feb ’22.
3. Future Considerations
3.1 Agreement has already been given for de-delegating Contingency for 2022/23, but at the Sept ’22 meeting, when discussing de-delegating contingency funding for 2023/24, the amount per pupil could be reviewed and potentially reduced. This could be for either the Primary, Secondary or for both phases. Initial views on this would be welcome from Schools’ Forum members (maintained school representatives).
Alison Jeffery
Director Children’s Services
Contact Officer: Ed
Beale
Tel. No. 01273 337984