Purpose

To set out the Dedicated Schools Grant budget
proposals 2024/25 to be considered by cabinet in making
recommendations for Full Council to approve its budget.
 

Content

Cabinet is asked to recommend the following
proposals to Full Council:
Approved 2024/25 DSG budget:

1.     
Schools Block (detail in Appendix A3)
a.     
the Schools Block budget be set at £342.604 million for
2024/25, as per Table 1 in the report
b.     
£1.721 million of the overall Schools Block DSG is
transferred to the High Needs Block to support the growing
demand
c.      
the basis for distributing the funding to mainstream schools be as
set out and agreed by Schools Forum (Appendix A3)
d.     
the Growth Fund for established schools expanding in September 2024
be set at £2.0 million (a component of the total Schools
Block budget).

2.     
Central School Services Block (detail in Appendix A2)
a.     
Following Schools Forum agreement, approve the Central School
Services Block budget is set at £2.696 million for
2024/25.

3.     
High Needs Block (detail in Appendix A2)
a.     
Approve the High Needs Block budget be set at £91.256 million
for 2024/25 as per Appendix A2, after receiving transfers of
£1.721 million from Schools Block.

4.     
Early Years Block (detail in Appendix A2)
a.     
Approve the Early Years Block budget be set at £55.180
million for 2024/25, noting that spend and DSG income will
fluctuate, according to participation levels in each of the three
school terms
b.     
Approve that funding for Early Years should be distributed in line
with the arrangements explained in the report to Schools Forum
(Appendix A2).
 
Cabinet to noted
the following:

5.     
Overall position - note
a.     
the 2024/25 DSG overall allocation of £491.736 million.
b.     
That the forecast DSG expenditure in 2024/25 is £511.838
million, with a forecast accumulated deficit of £76.179
million
c.      
The Education Service will continue to work with the Schools Forum
and the respective Task and Finish Groups (High Needs Task and
Finish Group; Early Years Task and Finish Group) to explore
sustainable mitigation options to bring the DSG budget to an
affordable position over the medium term. This will include the
implementation of the proposed changes to the current
non[1]statutory top-up
funding model. Recommendations will be presented to Cabinet for a
key decision on 6 February 2024. This follows a recent city-wide
consultation which closed on 15 December 2023 outlining a set of
options to reform current funding models.
d.     
Bristol Schools Forum (SF) feedback on 2024/25 DSG budget (that
will be published separately following receipt):