Agenda Item 6

Report to:	Schools Forum
Date of meeting:	10 Jan 2025
Report By:	Carolyn Fair
Title:	Central School Services Block (CSSB) 2025/26
Purpose:	To provide an update on the CSSB allocations for 2025/26

RECOMMENDATIONS

1) Schools Forum are asked to note and approve the proposals for the Central School Services Block for 2025/26.

1 Background

1.1 The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for 2025/26 will again be allocated by the Department for Education (DfE), into four notional blocks: Schools, High Needs, Early Years and Central School Services Block (CSSB). Each block is calculated on a different basis and subject to separate regulations as to eligible expenditure.

1.2 This paper specifically relates to the CSSB. This block includes funding that has been allocated to Local Authorities (LAs) to carry out functions on behalf of pupils in both maintained schools and academies and has two distinct elements:

· Ongoing responsibilities This comprises:

o funds specified by the DfE and retained centrally (Admissions, Copyright Licencing Agency (CLA) Licence and Servicing Schools Forum); and

o funds that were previously known as ‘Retained Duties Education Services Grant’ which, up to 2017/18, the LA received and held separately for its on-going responsibilities to maintained schools and academies.

· Historic Commitments These are what were previously known as “Combined Services” and is funding for previously specified financial commitments.

2 2025/26 On-going responsibilities

2.1 The DfE fund Ongoing responsibilities on a per pupil basis, using the October census, and have increased the funding rate for 2025/26 from £38.55 to £43.41 per pupil. The vast majority of this increase is because the DfE have now included funding for Centrally Employed Staff that was previously funded as a separate grant. Additional funding has also been provided for the cost of the Copyright Licencing. (The cost for the CLA Licenses are recouped, by the DfE, so a net nil effect).

2.2 As with 2024/25, the LA is asking to retain the full amount that the DfE is allocating for 2025/26.

2.3 Table 1 shows the 2025/26 proposals for the ‘Ongoing Responsibilities’ element of the CSSB which totals £2.72m. (Please note that this is separate funding from the Schools Block DSG which funds Maintained school budget shares / Academy General Annual Grants (GAGs).

Table 1: Proposals for 2025/26 On-going Responsibilities

3. Historic Commitments

3.1 The Historic Commitments are funded by the DfE as a lump sum amount and for 2025/26 the DfE are allocating £1.61m to ESCC for Historic Commitments.This is a reduction of £403k when compared to 2024/25.

3.2 The LA proposes to use these funds to offset High Needs Block 2025/26 spending pressures.

3.3 Table 2 is a summary of the proposals for 2025/26 funding for historic commitments.

Table 2: Proposals for 2025/26 Historic Commitments

Historic Commitments	2024/25 Allocations	CSSB Changes	2025/26 Proposed Allocations


	£2,016,900	-£403,400	£1,613,500
*Total	£2,016,900	-£403,400	£1,613,500

*Please note that the DfE reduce the Historic commitments value by 20% each year. This means that for 2025/26, the value has reduced by £403k.

4. Summary and Conclusion

4.1 This report sets out the proposals for the retention of the £2.72m for ‘on-going responsibilities’ and the £1.61m ‘Historic Commitments’. Schools Forum members are asked to approve these proposals.

Carolyn Fair

Director Childrens Services

Contact Officer: Ed Beale
Tel. No. 01273 337984
Email: Edward.beale@eastsussex.gov.uk