Archived decisions

Contact: Roger Mead, ACEO, Resources and Planning
01962 847991

1 Summary

1.1 Cabinet meeting on 10 February 2003 confirmed a requirement for Executive Member to consider plans for growth, redeployment and savings set out in the 2003/04 budget. The purpose of the report is to enable the County Council to demonstrate progress in linking budgets more closely with performance management. Demonstration should be through measurable outputs or outcomes.

2 Education Budget 2003/04

2.1 The Education Budget 2003/04 increased spending above base budget by £12.861m. Of this £11.496m is in the Schools Block and £1.365m is in the LEA Block.

2.2 The budget strategy, endorsed by the Schools Forum can be summarised as making the best use of constrained resources to work towards the County Council's top priorities of improving educational attainment, particularly for children at risk of social exclusion. Specific steps included:

· Addressing the changes made by Government to the Standards Fund grants, in particular the ceasing of the School Improvement Grant, the Induction of Newly Qualified Teachers and the Social Inclusion (Pupil Retention Grant).

· Continuing the programme of improvements in early years, behaviour intervention and support for pupils with SEN.

· Recognising the funding challenge faced by schools in retaining and recruiting teachers and other staff and in meeting cost increases above the allowed inflation level.

2.3 Appendix A explains the specific provision made and the link with the priorities determined by the County Council as advised by the Schools Forum and recommended by the Executive Member after consideration by the Education Policy Review Committee.

3 Conclusion

Performance will be monitored during the financial year and reports provided for the Executive Member as part of the on-going budget reporting and performance management arrangements.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1 Published works

2 Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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