Issue - meetings

That the Committee reviews and comments on the Education, Youth and Culture cost pressures and overall budget strategy, and advises on any areas of cost efficiency it would like to see explored further.

(a)          That the Committee supports the Education and Youth Portfolio cost pressures;

(b)          That no further cost efficiency areas be proposed by the Committee to be explored further; and

(c)          That further information on how the proposed £1M Investment in Delegated School Budgets is disseminated to Schools be provided to the Committee.

The Chief Executive, Corporate Finance Manager and Chief Officer (Education & Youth) introduced the second budget stage report which detailed the forecast and the cost pressures which would make-up the total budget requirement.

A report to Cabinet and the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee in July provided an updated position on the budget for 2022/23.  The cost pressures identified were referred to the respective Overview & Scrutiny Committees with a request that they all undergo a rigorous review.  The details of the cost pressures for Education and Youth were included in the report.

            The Chief Executive, Corporate Finance Manager and Chief Officer (Education & Youth) provided a detailed presentation which covered the following areas:-

• Purpose and Background
• Summary Totals of Cost Pressures

ØEducation & Youth Pressures

ØSchool Budget Pressures

• Summary of all Cost Pressures
• Out of County Budget Pressure
• Strategic Solutions
• Update on Efficiencies
• Budget Timelines

            In response to comments and questions around funding for free schools meals, the Chief Officer confirmed that the challenges to purchase a meal and a snack had been highlighted by students and it was hoped that if there was flexibility within the budget to uplift this, it would be very much welcomed.  The situation in primary schools was that meals were prepared meals from a number of options.  At the secondary level it was more of a cafeteria style with more choices available for the young people.  The current free school meal allowance for all sectors is £2.35 per day. This is just enough at Secondary to buy a sandwich, a piece of fruit and a bottle of water or a meal deal but  feedback via the Children’s Services Forum indicates that this is insufficient e.g. does not allow for breakfast or mid-morning snack.  The Chief Officer also confirmed that NEWydd were very skilled in providing excellent food which met the standard nutritional requirements.  An uplift for the secondary aged pupils would be beneficial.

The Chief Executive reported that an increase in free school meal allowance had been included within the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), to increase the allowance subject to affordability.  He welcomed the cost pressures at Plas Derwen PRU, which were aspirations to improve the learning environment and provide greater capacity.  Regarding the cost pressures for new posts, this had been circulated to all portfolios to provide information on their critical needs for which a robust process had been undertaken to prioritise those which required serious consideration.  The pandemic had accentuated some of the gaps but these would be reviewed if a balanced budget was not achieved next year.

Councillor Dave Mackie supported the comments made by the Chief Officer around the uplift in free school meals, which had been raised as a concern by young people at meetings of the Children’s Services Forum.  He commented on cost pressures and said that some of them had been agreed during the setting of the 2021/22 budget and suggested that where cost pressures had been agreed in previous years, this should be indicated in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18