Issue - meetings

(a) That the Education and Youth portfolio’s cost pressures be noted;

(b) That the Schools’ budget cost pressures be noted;

(c) That the Education and Youth portfolio’s options to reduce budgets be noted;

(d) That the options to reduce the delegated schools’ budget be noted;

(e) That a report on issues around recruitment and retention be included on the Committee’s Forward Work Programme; and

(f) That a report on Demographics and how this would impact future budgets be included on the Committee’s Forward Work Programme.

            The Strategic Finance Manager introduced the report the purpose of which was to review and comment on the budget pressures and cost reductions under the remit of the Committee. 

            The Strategic Finance Manager and Strategic Finance Manager (Education) provided a presentation on the Medium-Term Financial Strategy and Budget Setting 2024/25 which covered the following points for the Education & Youth Portfolio:

·         Purpose and Background

·         The additional budget requirement for the Council

·      Additional Budget Requirement – Ongoing Risks

·         Overall Position after initial solutions

·         Summary and Conclusions

·         Summary Education and Youth Cost Pressures

·         Education & Youth Budget Reductions

·         The 2024/25 Budget Challenge – our approach

·         Education and Youth Budget Reductions (1)

·         Education and Youth Budget Reductions (2)

·         Summary Education and Youth Budget Reductions

·         Education and Youth Budget Reductions (3)

·         School Cost Pressures

·         Summary Schools Cost Pressures

·         School Budget Reductions

·         Education and Youth Portfolio and Schools Ongoing Risk

·         Out of County

·         Next Steps for the Budget Setting Process 2024/25

·         Budget Process – Stage 2

·         Budget Process – Stage 3 (Final) 

            Councillor Dave Mackie in referring to the presentation, recommended that the following items be included on the Committee’s Forward Work Programme, which was seconded by Councillor Jason Shallcross:-

·         Recruitment and Retention – A report on issues around recruitment and retention within the Education & Youth Portfolio; and

·         Demographics – A report on demographics and how this would impact future budgets.

In response to a question on safeguarding by Councillor Mackie, the Senior Manager (School Improvement) commented that since the pandemic the level of complex cases in schools had increased.  It was explained that schools had significant responsibilities when it came to Safeguarding and Child Protection with the portfolio providing additional support to schools with up-to-date advice and guidance.  Safeguarding was complex and continually changing especially with regard to online safety.  It was explained that because Safeguarding was prioritised that this placed increased pressure on the team and their capacity to support schools.

In response to the suggestion made by Councillor Mackie for the additional items around recruitment and retention and demographics, the Strategic Finance Manager (Education) advised that the issues around recruitment and retention was a wider issue affecting all portfolio’s, therefore consideration would need to be given on how this could be taken forward.  She also explained that there was evidence of changes in demographics and that these should be expected in the future.  It was highlighted that the demography in the specialist provision was increasing in numbers and complexity.  There were reductions in the numbers of pupils in primary schools and she explained how this year a larger year 6 group of pupils had been transitioning to secondary schools with smaller nursery and reception classes.  This unfortunately would impact schools as the regulations required that 70% of school funding was based around pupil numbers, with funding following the pupils.  It was difficult to predict forecasts around demography and any reductions in school budgets should also consider the demographic reductions in schools.  

            Responding to Councillor Andrew Parkhurst’s question on staff increases, the Strategic Finance Manager  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31