Archived decisions

Earlier Point ref

SfFM Paragraph / Section

Proposed additional change to SfFM

14

4.4

Each school must prepare a complete annual school budget (at General Ledger code level) within its total resources and must not plan an overspend. Total resources are defined as the current allocation (budget share),any balance brought forward, together with additional income streams the schools has access to. The County Council requires schools to take full account of estimated deficits and surpluses at the previous 31 March in their budget plan. When a realistic forecast suggests a school may be in danger of a deficit budget, the local Education Financial Services (EFS) office should be informed immediately. If it is not possible to balance the budget, then a plan should be agreed as for schools that have already incurred deficits. Any deficit incurred for whatever reason is a first call on the following financial year's budget share. The County Council may bar schools from adding to the size of a deficit (effectively putting a cap on the school's financial position) but may not bar spending on particular items of expenditure within the same overall total.

28

4.17

The recovery plan should be submitted to the Director of Children's Services (via EFS) by 31 July after the financial year in which the deficit was incurred, and an update report produced annually (by 31 May each year) until the deficit is cleared

33

5.5

The DfES makes this data available for schools to view annually in September covering the previous financial year. This is available through the website at: http://sfb.teachernet.gov.uk/login.aspx

35

5.14

All payments to employees, except cash reimbursements (up to £100), must be made via the payroll service. Car allowances to employees also have to be handled through payroll. In no circumstances should payments to staff for work done be made through petty cash.

48

13.2

The County Council has not made external assessment of compliance with FMSiS compulsory but where such assessment is undertaken it has to be funded from a school's budget share. All secondary schools (and all other schools as part of the agreed rollout programme) must complete an annual self assessment against the Standard using the DfES self assessment tool. A copy of the completed self assessment, and an external assessment if that has been carried out, must be sent to the County Treasurer's Internal Audit Section by 28 February each year.

50

13.4

The County Council will set out the requirements on the governing body in relation to the management of funds, including actions, restrictions, limitations or prohibitions that it must comply with. These requirements may include:

· insisting that relevant staff and governors undertake appropriate training to address any identified weaknesses in the financial management of the school;

· insisting that an appropriately trained/qualified person chairs the finance committee of the governing body;

· insisting that support is purchased from a financial provider to ensure that school staff have access to financial advice;

· requiring the school to be externally assessed against the FMSiS standards and to implement any remedial action identified as being needed to bring the school up to the standards;

· placing more stringent restrictions or conditions on the day to day financial management of a school than the scheme requires for all schools (e.g. provision of monthly accounts to the County Council) ;

· insisting on regular financial monitoring meetings at the school attended by local authority officers;

· requiring the governing body to use SAP as it's financial system where it does not already do so;

· requiring notification of all decisions including contracts of employment and the placing of orders which commit the school to more than £5,000 (or an amount specified by the County Treasurer);

· imposing restrictions or limitations on the manner in which the school manages extended school activity funded from within its delegated budget share - for example by requiring the school to submit income projections and/or financial monitoring reports on such activities;

· requiring the attendance, with full speaking rights, of the County Treasurer's representative at the meetings of the governing body and all relevant committees;

· submission of financial forecasts covering each year of a multi-year budget period.

62

16.10

In order to meet this timetable all school governing bodies with balances or anticipated balances must submit a report (or complete a form designed by the County Council) by 1 May of that year to Education Financial Services , explaining how and when it intends to use the balance i.e. what are the specific purposes for which it has been assigned and the timescales involved. When no such information is received the entire balance will be regarded as unassigned and uncommitted.

NEW

11.12 and renumber subsequent sections

As part of their exercise of the community facilities power and the development of extended schools services, schools may provide services commissioned by the County Council. These activities must be kept separate from school budget shares, as indeed must all community facility powers activities. The provision, as a third party provider, of children's centre services is one example of such activities.

NEW

24.8.2 and renumber subsequent sections

The normal expectation is that any surplus which accrues from the use of the community facilities power will be used within two years. Where the County Council provides funds in respect of an use of the community facilities power the funding agreement with the County Council will explicitly cover the use of any surplus generated.

Appendix F

Purpose 9

Community and Adult Education Funds, development items would be subject to the same timescales as similar projects shown in other purposes

Appendix F

Purpose 11

Money held on behalf of a Cluster, Collaboration or Federation or amalgamating/merging schools.

Appendix F

Recognised time scales 4 and 5

Other Capital Projects/ICT projects - within 3 years