f40 group queried the Secretary of State why the Formula Review consultation has yet to be announced

Lowest funded authorities query delay of funding formula review consultation...and raise concerns about additional cost pressures

The group representing the lowest-funded education authorities in England, has formally asked the Secretary of State for Children, Schools & Families to explain why the consultation on a new funding formula for the allocation of education cash has been delayed.

In a strongly worded letter to Secretary of State, Ed Balls, f40 has expressed concern at the delay and pointed out that the promised consultation had been expected to start in January.

F40 chairman Cllr Ivan Ould, (also Lead Member for Children and Older People’s Services at Leicestershire County Council, the lowest funded of all authorities) said, “We were led to believe that an announcement about the outcomes of the comprehensive review, which took most of 2009 to carry out, would be made in January, or at the latest early February. We have made representations in various quarters to try and establish when the Government will make the long-anticipated announcement and launch the promised consultation, but the only answer we have received is that it will start ‘soon’ or ‘shortly’. But nothing is happening and we are beginning to get extremely frustrated and disappointed.

“It is our view that this delay is having a very unsettling effect on all councils throughout England, but particularly on f40 authorities, who are the lowest funded and have campaigned for the introduction of a fairer allocation system.

“We have called on the Secretary of State to keep his promise and make an announcement one way or the other as soon as possible, or alternatively make a commitment that fairer funding will feature in the Labour Party manifesto.

“We have asked the other main parties to make a similar manifesto commitment.”

Additional cost pressures impact hard on the lowest funded authorities

The f40 Group has also written to the Secretary of State to bring to his attention significant concerns that are worrying f40 authorities in particular. Member authorities have recently identified a wide range of new and growing cost pressures on councils’ education budgets.

In his letter to the Secretary of State, Cllr Ivan Ould pointed out that additional financial pressures stemming from continual tinkering with education budgets arrangements will have a major effect on all councils, but a devastating impact on those who are disadvantaged by being the lowest funded authorities – mainly f40 members.

He said: “It is f40’s view that the combined pressure of all of the changes and proposals in the system is putting intolerable strain on our schools and staff, and local authorities have no wriggle room to mitigate the impact.”

“The f40 Group worked closely with the Department for Children, Schools and Families and their review agents, PriceWaterhouseCooper, to ensure that the review was as comprehensive as possible.

“We have submitted evidence and have took whatever action we could to accommodate the review and ensure its success. We now feel that it is vital that the Government, or which ever party wins the election, takes into account the many additional financial pressures that education authorities face, and ensure that all new proposals are adequately funded or withheld.”

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