Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Finance. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families.

Cabinet to note proposed regulations and standing orders for schools.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Schools introduced the report which contained the Scheme of Financial Regulations and Standing Orders for Schools and set out the financial relationship between the Council and the maintained schools in the Borough. The Council was required to have an up to date and agreed Scheme for Financing schools.

The following was outlined by the Cabinet Member:

-       In an environment where financial pressures are increasing right across the public sector it is important that the controls on how schools operate and use their delegated budgets are brought up to date.

-       The attached report set of financial regulations and standing orders for schools refreshes previous versions of the document reflecting current DfE guidance, and changes in the operational environment in the Council as well as schools.

-       The financial regulations and standing orders have been shared with schools and considered by the School’s Forum.

-       Once approved by Cabinet, the document will be published on the Council’s website, and a copy will be sent to the Head Teacher and Chair of Governors of each school.

RESOLVED

1. To approve the Scheme of Financial Regulations and Standing Orders for Schools

2. To note that schools have been consulted on the regulations and standing orders and have been endorsed by the Schools Forum on 16 July 2024.

Reasons for decision

The Financial Regulations and Standing Orders for Schools have not been updated for a considerable period of time. The attached document revises and updates the regulations and standing orders based on current DfE guidance.

The role of the scheme sets out the financial relationship between the local authority and the maintained schools which it funds and describes requirements relating to financial management and associated issues, binding both on the local authority and on schools.

This is issue 16 of statutory guidance given by the Secretary of State pursuant to s.48(4) and paragraph 2A (2) of Schedule 14 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

Local authorities are required to publish schemes for financing schools, setting out the financial relationship between them and the schools they maintain. This guidance lists the provisions which a local authority’s scheme must, should or may include. Schemes need not follow the format used in this guidance, except for the text of directed revisions.

Alternative options considered.

No other options considered as preparation and publication of the Scheme for Financing Schools is a statutory requirement with which local authorities must comply.