Issue - meetings

Recommendations

The Council’s Executive is asked to note the contents of this report, and to agree:

a.       That the Council applies a Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) of 0% in the calculation of mainstream school budgets for the 2025/26 financial year.

b.       That the Council uses Lump Sum as the methodology for the allocation to school budgets of any surplus funding available within the Schools Block DSG after the calculation of the school funding formula using National Funding Formula (NFF) values for the 2025/26 financial year

c.        That the Council uses a higher funding gains cap and higher scaling back percentage for managing the recovery of any funding shortfall on the Schools Block DSG after the calculation of the school funding formula using NFF values for the 2025/26 financial year. In the event of any funding shortfall being too significant to manage through the use of the capping and scaling mechanism, the Corporate Director – Resources and the Corporate Director – Children & Young People’s Service, in consultation with the Chair of the Schools Forum, will determine a school funding methodology that delivers affordability within the 2025/26 Schools Block DSG and associated reserves.

d.     That the Council includes an exceptional circumstance lump sum of £50,000 for very small sparse secondary schools (which would otherwise be unable to attract sufficient funding to remain viable) in the 2025/26 North Yorkshire school funding formula.

e.     That, pending confirmation of Secretary of State approval, the Council transfers 0.5% of funding from the Schools Block Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) to the High Needs Block.

f.       That the Council applies MFG funding protection of 0% for special schools for the 2025/26 financial year, as prescribed by the DfE.

g.     That the Council applies 0% to the Banded Funding allocations (top up/ ‘element 3’ allocations) received by mainstream and special schools and academies for the 2025/26 financial year.

h.     That the Council applies 0% to the Banded Funding allocations (top up / element 3 allocations) received by pupil referral units and alternative provision settings for the 2025/26 financial year.

i.       That the Council applies 0% to the factor elements within the Special school contextual funding for the 2025/26 financial year.

j.       That the Council will continue to lobby for a fairer and more equitable funding settlement for schools in North Yorkshire. We will also continue to lobby for a fairer settlement of High Needs resources.