RESOLVED:
1. That the 2016/17 funding formula for Surrey schools be prepared on the basis of:
(i) continuing the £10 million transfer of Dedicated Schools Grant from the notional Schools block to the High Needs block first introduced in 2015/16
(ii) transferring an additional £1.65 million from the Schools block to the High Needs Block and
iii) transferring £1.65 million from the County Council to the DSG High Needs Block.”
2. That the Cabinet approves the recommendation of the Schools Forum to reduce schools’ deprivation funding to 7.79% of total schools’ formula funding in 2016/17
3. That the proposed Surrey formula factors for 2016/17 as set out in Annex 4 are approved for submission to the DfE by the 30 October deadline
4. That authority is delegated to the Assistant Director, Schools & Learning, in conjunction with the Leader and the Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational Achievement to update and amend the formula as appropriate following receipt of the DSG settlement and updated DfE pupil data in December 2015. This is to ensure that total allocations to schools under this formula remain affordable within the council’s DSG settlement to be announced during December 2015.
Reasons for Decisions:
To ensure that spending on crucial Special Educational Needs services is maintained despite the vote of the majority of schools responding to the County Council’s September 2015 funding consultation, and the subsequent decision of Schools Forum only to recommend a transfer of £10m from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block. Decisions on the proposed Surrey schools funding formula are required in order to comply with DfE regulations requiring notification of the council’s funding formula by 30 October 2015.
[The decision on this item may be called in by the Education & Skills Scrutiny Board]