Decision details

Schools National Funding Formula (SNFF)

Decision Maker: Education Scrutiny Committee

Decision status: Recommendations approved

Is Key decision?: No

Decisions:

A report was presented informing the Committee that the Department for Education (DfE) had launched stage 2 of their Schools National Funding Formula (SNFF) consultation in December 2016, with responses required by 22 March 2017. The report also set out possible implications for Lancashire.

 

The Committee was informed that should the SNFF be approved in its current form, it would have a significant impact on Lancashire's smaller schools. This concern had been picked up nationally and there had been a lobby back into central Government around this particularly from the Shire County areas. A response from the Department for Education was awaited on the feedback received for stage 2 of their consultation.

 

It was reported that the County Council, the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools and the Chair of the Education Scrutiny Committee had all submitted consultation responses by the 22 March deadline. In addition, the Schools Forum had sent its response and encouraged Lancashire schools and academies to reply individually. Key themes in the responses related to the overall pressures on all school budgets and the risks to small schools. It was noted that school budgets had been flat since 2013 and had not increased in line with inflation whereupon it was felt that the SNFF, in its current form would not offer any alleviation on this point.

 

Questions and comments by the Committee in relation to the report were as follows:

 

·  A question was asked in relation to the loss of money to Children Looked After and the impact this would have. It was pointed out that the Children Looked After funding that was part of the funding formula would move to the Pupil Premium Grant Funding and had not been lost to the system. Whilst officers were of the understanding that this should still be at the same level there was no guarantee that it would be like for like funding at this moment in time. It was confirmed that monies would come through a different funding stream. Members were assured that this issue had been highlighted in the consultation responses.

 

·  There were widespread views that the current formula as it was now configured was unfair and a concern that school funding in the future would decrease.

 

·  It was hoped that the Government's response to the consultation would be published before the summer 2017. However, the Committee was informed that publication could be delayed.

 

·  It was clarified that the amount of funding per pupil had not changed, but that any increase in pupil numbers would be met with additional funding to support those additional pupils. Additional funding for new pupils was based upon the existing formula.

 

Resolved: That;

 

  i.  The report be noted;

  ii.  The Education Scrutiny Committee supported the consultation response as submitted by the Lancashire Schools Forum and summarised in the report; and

  iii.  The response from the Department for Education's stage 2 consultation be added to the work plan, subject to the outcome of the work planning session for the relevant Scrutiny Committee held after the elections in May 2017.

 

Report author: Paul Bonser

Date of decision: 28/03/2017

Decided at meeting: 28/03/2017 - Education Scrutiny Committee

Accompanying Documents: