Decision details

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.

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):