Decision details

To agree the High Needs Budget for 2023-24, setting out the financial pressures and funding available for expenditure that fall within the High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant.

To approve the proposed High Needs Block budget as set out in section 3.1 of the report.

The anticipated overall High Needs Block allocation available for North Yorkshire in 2023-24 is £77.86m, this includes £3.23m of additional funding announced in the Government Autumn 2022 Spending Review to support increased financial pressures within High Needs. This figure is reduced by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) in relation to funding provided directly to academies and for some post-16 provision. It also includes an anticipated import/export adjustment (adjustments made to reflect cross-border movement of pupils living in one local authority who attend provision in another; adjustments for 2023/24 will be finalised by the DfE in early Summer 2022). The total deductions amount to an estimated £6.366m resulting in a net funding allocation to the local authority of £71.49m. This provides an estimated overall cash increase of £6.78m compared to 2022/23. The final High Needs Block figure will not be known until June 2023 following confirmation of the import/export adjustment.
Following regulation changes in early 2020, the local authority is effectively prohibited from using core council funding towards costs which should be properly funded from Dedicated Schools Grant. However, the local authority has made provision within the LA budget to mirror any High Needs deficit as part of prudent budget setting arrangements. The High Needs Block Budget reflects the SEND Strategic Plan which aims to improve the service offer for children