The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is the ring-fenced grant from Government that provides each local authority with an allocation of funding for schools and services for pupils. The report outlines the 4 blocks of the DSG, and the current proposals to allocate the provisional DSG allocation. 

Cabinet Portfolio Holders – Councillors Peter Butlin and Colin Hayfield

Councillor Colin Hayfield (Portfolio Holder for Education and Learning) noted that this subject regularly comes to Cabinet. The meeting was reminded that the DSG is passported through the Council to schools. As such the Council has no say in how it is distributed.

Councillor Peter Butlin (Deputy Leader – Finance and Property) stated that the County Council is the accounting body. Once the money has been passed on the challenge is in recognising where the pressures will lie after that.

Councillor Helen Adkins (Leader of the Labour Group) welcomed the opportunity to be engaged in the SEND TFG. She considered that it had been a very positive experience. It was good to work with colleagues and develop strategy.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1)       Supports the allocation of the Schools Block DSG, as outlined in Section 3, in line with the National Funding Formula for Schools and in particular increasing funding allocated to schools through the lump sum and sparsity factors as outlined in 3.3.1 and 3.3.2.

2)       Supports the Early Years allocation of funding for all early years providers as outlined in Section 4

3)       Approves the proposed allocation of the High Needs DSG budget for 2021/22, as set out in Section 5.

4)       Supports the proposals for allocating the 2020/21 Central School Services DSG budget, as set out in Section 6.