THE SURREY SCHEME FOR FINANCING SCHOOLS (updated 14 September 2015)

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1 THE SURREY SCHEME FOR FINANCING SCHOOLS (updated 14 September 2015) LIST OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Funding Framework 1.2 The Role of the Scheme Application of the Scheme to the Authority and Maintained Schools 1.3 Publication of the Scheme 1.4 Revision of the Scheme 1.5 Delegation of Powers to the Headteacher 1.6 Maintenance of Schools 1.7 Matters which must be covered in the Scheme 2.0 FINANCIAL CONTROLS Application of Financial Controls to Schools Provision of Financial Information and Reports Payment of Salaries; Payment of Bills Control of Assets Accounting Policies (Including Year-End Procedures) Writing Off of Debt 2.2 Basis of Accounting 2.3 Submission of Budget Plans Submission of financial forecasts 2.4 Efficiency and Value for Money 2.5 Virement 2.6 Audit: General 2.7 Separate External Audits 2.8 Audit of Voluntary and Private Funds 2.9 Register of Business Interests 2.10 Purchasing, Tendering and Contracting Requirements 2.11 Application of Contracts to Schools 2.12 Central Funds and Earmarking 2.13 Spending for the Purposes of the School 2.14 Capital Spending from Budget Share 2.15 Notices of concern 2.16 Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) 2.17 Fraud 3.0 INSTALMENTS OF BUDGET SHARE; BANKING ARRANGEMENTS 3.1 Frequency of Instalments 3.2 Proportion of Budget Share Payable at Each Instalment 3.3 Interest Clawback Interest on Late Budget Share Payments 3.4 Budget Shares for Closing Schools 3.5 Bank and Building Society Accounts Restrictions on Accounts 3.6 Borrowing by Schools Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

2 3.6.1 Use of Purchasing Cards 3.7 Other Provisions 4.0 THE TREATMENT OF SURPLUSES AND DEFICIT BALANCES ARISING IN RELATION TO BUDGET SHARES 4.1 Right to Carry Forward Surplus Balances 4.2 Scrutiny of surplus balances 4.3 Interest on Surplus Balances 4.4 Obligation to Carry Forward Deficit Balances 4.5 Planning for Deficit Balances 4.6 Charging of Interest on Deficit Balances 4.7 Writing Off Deficits 4.8 Balances of Closing and Amalgamating Schools 4.9 Licensed Deficits 4.10 Loan Scheme 5.0 INCOME 5.1 Income from Lettings 5.2 Income from Fees and Charges 5.3 Income from Fund Raising Activities 5.4 Income from the Sale of Assets 5.5 Administrative Procedures for the Collection of Income 5.6 Purposes for Which Income May Be Used 6.0 THE CHARGING OF SCHOOL BUDGET SHARES 6.1 General Provision Charging of Salaries at Actual Cost 6.2 Circumstances in Which Charges May Be Made 7.0 TAXATION 7.1 Value Added Tax 7.2 Construction Industry Tax Scheme 8.0 THE PROVISION OF SERVICES AND FACILITIES BY THE AUTHORITY 8.1 Provision of Services from Centrally Retained Budgets 8.2 Timescale for the Provision of Services Brought Back from the LEA Using Delegated Budgets Packaging 8.3 Service Level Agreements 8.4 Simple Buyback 8.5 Teachers pensions 9.0 PFI CLAUSES Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

3 10.0 INSURANCE 10.1 Insurance Cover 11.0 MISCELLANEOUS 11.1 Right of Access to Information 11.2 Liability of Governors 11.3 Governors Expenses 11.4 Responsibility for Legal Costs 11.5 Health & Safety 11.6 Right of Attendance for Chief Finance Officer 11.7 Delegation to New Schools 11.8 Optional Delegated Funding 11.9 Special Education Needs Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption Strategy Child Protection School Meals 12 RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE 12.1 Governors and authority responsibilities 12.2 Revenue and capital expenditure 12.3 Aided schools 12.4 De minimis limit for capital expenditure 13 COMMUNITY FACILITIES Introduction Consultation with LEA - financial aspects Funding agreements - LEA powers Other prohibitions, restrictions and limitations Supply of financial information Audit Treatment of income and surpluses Health and safety matters Insurance Taxation Banking Annex A Annex B Annex C Annex D Annex E Annex F Annex G List of Schools Covered by the Scheme Responsibility for Repairs and Maintenance (deleted) Purchasing Rules and Guidelines Local Bank Accounts Approval of Licensed Deficits Premature retirement and redundancy costs Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

4 1.1 The Funding Framework Section 1: Introduction Since 1990 the Local Authority has delegated funding to its schools in accordance with its Local Management of Schools scheme as approved by the Secretary of State. Under the terms of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (SSAF Act 1998), LEAs were required to draw up a new scheme for the financing of schools which replaced the existing LMS scheme. The funding framework which replaces Local Management of Schools is based on the legislative provisions in sections of the School Standards and Framework Act Under this legislation, local authorities determine for themselves the size of their Schools Budget and non schools education budget (formerly LEA budget) although at a minimum a local authority must appropriate its entire Dedicated Schools Grant to its Schools Budget. The categories of expenditure which fall within the two budgets are prescribed under regulations made by the Secretary of State, but included within the two, taken together, is all expenditure, direct and indirect, on an authority s maintained schools except for capital and certain miscellaneous items Local authorities may centrally retain funding in the Schools Budget for purposes defined in regulations made by the Secretary of State under s45a of the Act. The amounts to be retained centrally are decided by the authority concerned, subject to any limits or conditions prescribed by the Secretary of State, including gaining the approval of their Schools Forum or of the Secretary of State in certain instances. The balance of the Schools Budget (SB) left after deduction of centrally retained funds is termed the Individual Schools Budget (ISB). Expenditure items in the non schools education budget must be retained centrally (although earmarked allocations may still be made to schools). Local authorities must distribute the ISB amongst their maintained schools (and private nursery providers) using a formula which accords with regulations made by the Secretary of State, and which enables the calculation of the budget share for each maintained school. This budget share is then delegated to the governing body of the school concerned, unless the school is a new school which has not yet received a delegated budget, or the right to a delegated budget has been suspended in accordance with s.51 of the Act. The financial controls within which delegation works are set out in a scheme made by the authority in accordance with s.48 of the Act and approved by the Secretary of State. Since 16 March 2007, the right to approve revisions to the scheme has been delegated by the Secretary of State to the Surrey Schools Forum, subject to their compliance with statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State. This document forms the required scheme for this local authority. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

5 Subject to provisions of the scheme, governing bodies of schools may spend budget shares for the purpose of their school. They may also spend budget shares on any additional purposes prescribed by the Secretary of State in regulations made under s.50. An authority may suspend a school s right to a delegated budget if the provisions of the school financing scheme (or rules applied by the scheme) have been substantially or persistently breached, or if the budget share has not been managed satisfactorily.. A school s right to a delegated budget share may also be suspended for other reasons (s.17 of the SSAF Act 1998) The authority is obliged to publish each year a statement (the section 251 budget statement ) setting out details of its planned Schools Budget and non schools education budget, showing the amounts to be centrally retained and funding delegated to schools. After each financial year the authority must publish a statement showing outturn expenditure at central level and the final total individual schools budget. The detailed publication requirements for financial statements and for schemes are set out in regulations, but the statements must be made available on a publicly accessible website. Final school balances are no longer published as part of the s251 outturn statements but are published separately by the DfE. 1.2 The Role of the Scheme The scheme sets out the financial relationships between the Authority and schools which it funds. The scheme contains requirements related to financial management and associated issues which are binding on both the Authority and on schools Application of the Scheme to the Authority and Maintained Schools The scheme applies to all community, voluntary, foundation, community special or foundation special schools (including Trust schools) maintained by the Authority, including nursery schools and pupil referral units It does not apply to Academies (because they are not maintained by the Authority). Annex A contains a list of all schools covered by the scheme. 1.3 Publication of the Scheme The current version of the Scheme is made available on the Schools and Learning Finance pages of the Surrey County Council website (under learning then teachers and education staff ). Schools will be advised by bulletin of any changes to the Scheme. Schools without access to the Internet may ask for paper copies. Copies of older versions of the Scheme may be obtained from the Authority if required. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

6 1.4 Revision of the Scheme Any proposals for revision of the scheme must be the subject of consultation with schools and will then require the approval of those members of the Schools Forum representing maintained schools. Sometimes the Secretary of State directs that changes are made to authorities Schemes. Schools will be advised of such changes but they will not be subject to formal consultation. The Authority has the right to appeal to the Secretary of State if the Schools Forum refuses to approve a proposed revision to the Scheme. 1.5 Delegation of Powers to the Headteacher The Governing Body of every maintained school should consider the extent to which it wishes to delegate its financial powers to the Headteacher. The Authority does not set a limit to this delegation. However, Governors should have regard to the Headteacher s responsibility for day to day operation of the school and their overall responsibility for the schools budget. Any delegation of powers, or revisions to this, must be recorded in the minutes of the Governing Body and will be subject to internal audit inspection. The Governing Body is responsible for the approval of the first formal budget plan of each financial year. The Headteacher s role is to support Governors in the preparation of the budget plan. 1.6 Maintenance of Schools The Local Authority is responsible for maintaining the schools covered by the scheme, and this includes a duty of defraying all the expenses of maintaining them (except in the case of a voluntary aided school where some of the expenses are, by statute, payable by the Governing Body). Part of the way an authority maintains schools is through the funding system put in place under sections 45 to 53 of the School Standards and Framework Act Matters which must be covered by the Scheme The matters which must be covered by the Scheme for Financing Schools are specified in the current School Finance regulations, currently s26 and Schedule 5 of the School and Early Years Finance (England) Regulations These are: a) the carrying forward from one funding period to another of surpluses and deficits arising in relation to schools budget shares. b) amounts which may be charged against schools budget shares; c) amounts received by schools which may be retained by their governing bodies and the purposes for which such amounts may be used; d) the imposition, by or under the scheme, of conditions which must be complied with by schools in relation to the management of their delegated Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

7 budgets and of sums made available to governing bodies by the authority which do not form part of delegated budgets, including conditions prescribing financial controls and procedures; e) terms on which services and facilities are provided by the authority for schools maintained by them; f) the payment of interest by or to the authority. g) the times at which amounts equal in total to the school s budget share are to be made available to governing bodies and the proportion of the budget share to be made available at each such time;. h) the virement between budget heads within the delegated budget; i) circumstances in which a local authority may delegate to the governing body the power to spend any part of the authority s non-schools education budget or schools budget in addition to those set out in section 49(4)(a) to (c) of the 1998 Act(a). j) the use of delegated budgets and of sums made available to a governing body by the local authority which do not form part of delegated budgets; k) borrowing by governing bodies; l) the banking arrangements that may be made by governing bodies; m) a statement as to the personal liability of governors in respect of schools budget shares having regard to section 50(7) of the 1998 Act; n) a statement as to the allowances payable to governors of a school which does not have a delegated budget in accordance with the scheme made by the authority for the purposes of section 519 of the 1996 Act; o) the keeping of a register of any business interests of the governors and the head teacher; p). the provision of information by and to the governing body. q) the maintenance of inventories of assets. r) plans of a governing body s expenditure. s) a statement as to the taxation of sums paid or received by a governing body. t) insurance. u) the use of delegated budgets by governing bodies so as to satisfy the authority s duties imposed by or under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act v) the provision of legal advice to a governing body. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

8 w) funding for child protection issues. x) how complaints by persons working at a school or by school governors about financial management or financial propriety at the school will be dealt with and to whom such complaints should be made y) expenditure incurred by a governing body in the exercise of the power conferred by section 27 of the 2002 Act. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

9 Section 2: Financial Controls Application of Financial Controls to Schools Schools are required to abide in the management of their delegated budgets by the Authority s requirements on financial controls and monitoring. Detailed requirements are included in the LMS Finance Manual Provision of Financial Information and Reports Schools are required to provide the Authority with details of anticipated and actual expenditure and income, in a form and at times determined by the authority. Authorities cannot require this data more often than once every three months except for those returns connected with tax or banking reconciliation, unless the Authority has notified the school in writing that in its view the school s financial position requires more frequent submission or the school is in its first year of operation. The restriction to a minimum 3 month interval does not apply to schools which are part of an on-line financial accounting system operated by the Authority. The details of these requirements are as follows: a monthly statement of Income and Expenditure passed through the local bank account by 18th of each month;(required in respect of tax (VAT) and bank reconciliation) specified reports at year end that will enable the Authority to reconcile the school local bank account. a Cash Flow statement for all schools operating 100% local bank accounts which will be required on a monthly basis. A financial monitoring statement, plus supporting documentation, upon request, where the Authority has concerns; a financial monitoring report, including projected current year outturn, and including a reconciliation of school expenditure to County ledger, to accompany the draft budget plan submitted in November. The date at which the report should be compiled will be specified annually by the Authority Payment of Salaries; Payment of Bills The procedures to follow will vary according to the choices made by schools on school banking arrangements and the buy back of the Authority s payroll system. The procedures are set out in the LMS Finance Manual as follows: Section E - Purchasing Arrangements Section F - Payments of Accounts Section G - Local Bank Accounts/Petty Cash Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

10 Section H - Guide to Purchasing Section P - Claims and Casual Staff Control of Assets Each school must maintain an inventory of its moveable non-capital assets. Details of the coverage of assets, the form of the inventory and arrangements for the disposal of assets are contained in the LMS Finance Manual - Section U. However, schools are free to determine their own arrangements for keeping a register of assets worth less than 1,000. Schools exercising this discretion must keep a register in some form Accounting policies (including year-end procedures) The accounting policies of the Authority, including closure of accounts, are contained in the LMS Finance Manual. Schools are required to abide by the requirements laid down in these documents, in respect of all income and expenditure from public funds, or derived from the use of publicly funded assets, including income and expenditure for community purposes and income and expenditure of confederations and partnerships Writing-off of debts All Maintained (including Aided and Foundation) schools must agree any debt write off with the Authority. This is to ensure that there is some external check on the losses to public funds. This is subject to a de minimis level of 150 i.e. schools can write off a sum up to that amount. 2.2 Basis of accounting The Authority prepares its statutory accounts on an accruals basis. Maintained schools are required to ensure that annual spending notified to the Authority is on an accruals basis. Their Consistent Financial Reporting returns to the DFE should also be on an accruals basis, so that they are on the same basis as reports to the Authority. However, schools can choose their own basis of accounting for internal accounting and reporting. Schools can choose which financial software they wish to use, provided they meet any costs of modification to provide output required by the Authority. In particular, schools should be able to report separately to the Authority on revenue and capital expenditure, and on any funds held by them on behalf of collaborative ventures with other schools where specified by the Authority, to demonstrate that only public funds have been reported to the Authority, and to demonstrate an audit trail back to its accounts for each of these separate funds. 2.3 Submission of budget plans Every school maintained by the Authority is required to submit an annual budget plan by 1 May each year detailing its income and expenditure plans for the year. The format of this plan is contained in the Finance Manual Chapter A. The budget plan format allows schools to take full account of estimated deficits/surpluses at the previous 31 March. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

11 Schools are required to complete a draft budget for the following financial year by 30 November. This is formalising good practice carried out by many schools in the past. These drafts can be prepared using the verification and forecasting tool which will be available by October, to forecast the budget for the following year at current prices. The draft budget should be prepared and presented to the Governors Finance Committee. The Chairman s signature is not required on the draft budget. The Authority is required to supply schools with all school income and expenditure data which it holds which is necessary to efficient planning by schools, and to supply schools with an annual statement showing when this information will be available at times through the year The authority may require schools to submit a financial forecast covering each year of a multi-year period for which schools have been notified of budget shares beyond the current year. 2.4 Efficiency and Value for Money Schools must seek to achieve efficiencies and value for money, to optimise the use of their resources and to invest in teaching and learning, taking into account the Authority s purchasing, tendering and contracting requirements. It is for heads and governors to determine at school level how to secure better value for money. 2.5 Virement Schools are free to vire between budget heads in the expenditure of their budget shares but governors are advised to establish criteria for virements and the financial limits above which the approval of the governors is required. 2.6 Audit: General All schools are subject to the audit regime determined by the authority as regards internal audit and to the authority s external audit regime as determined by the Audit Commission. Schools are required to co-operate with any internal and external audit inspection and provide access to the school s records. 2.7 Separate External Audits Governing Bodies are able to spend funds from their budget share to obtain external audit certification of its accounts, separate from any local authority internal or external audit process. This audit would have to take account the status of the school as a spender of local authority funds, rather than being a grant aided institution. Any school securing a separate external audit should be aware that the statutory responsibility for audit remains with the authority. There is no expectation that routine annual external audit at school level of the budget share should be a usual feature of the new funding system. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

12 2.8 Audit of Voluntary and Private Funds Voluntary and private funds are separate from the school s delegated budget, and are often administered by Surrey County Council staff. The authority must satisfy itself that public funds are not being misused. Schools are therefore required to provide audit certificates in respect of voluntary and private funds held by schools and of the accounts of any trading organisations controlled by the school. The procedures for furnishing these audit certificates and advice on handling of such voluntary and private funds is set out in section X of the LMS Finance Manual. 2.9 Register of Business Interests Governing Bodies must maintain a register which lists for each member of the Governing Body and the head teacher, * any business interests they or any member of their immediate family have; * details of any other educational establishments which they govern; * any relationships between school staff and members of the governing body.. They must keep the register up to date with notification of changes and through annual review of entries, must make the register available for inspection by the authority, Governors, staff and parents, and must publish the register, for example on a publicly accessible website Purchasing, Tendering and Contract Requirements The Authority has Purchasing Rules and Guidelines and Standing Orders relating to purchasing, tendering and contracting matters. A summary of Purchasing Rules and Guidelines is attached as Annex D. The detailed Purchasing Rules and Guidelines and Standing Orders are contained in the LMS Finance Manual Section E. Schools are required to abide by these Financial Regulations and Standing Orders except where these would require schools: (a) (b) (c) (d) to do anything incompatible with any of the provisions of the scheme, or any statutory provision, or any EU Procurement Directive; to seek Authority officer countersignature for any contracts for goods or services for a value below 60,000 in any one year; to select suppliers only from an approved list; to seek fewer than three tenders or quotations in respect of any contract with a value exceeding 10,000 in any one year. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

13 2.11 Application of Contracts to Schools Schools have the right to opt out of contracts arranged by the Authority with the following exceptions: for contracts which schools have agreed to be covered by in respect of services for which funding was delegated by the Authority prior to 1 April 1999; for contracts which schools agree to be covered by in respect of services for which funding is delegated by the Authority after 1 April 1999; Although governing bodies are empowered under paragraph 3 of schedule 10 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to enter into contracts, in most cases they do so on behalf of the Authority as maintainer of the school and the owner of the funds in the budget share. However other contracts may be made solely on behalf of the governing body, when the governing body has clear statutory obligations-for example, contracts made by aided or foundation schools for the employment of staff Central Funds and Earmarking The Authority is authorised to make sums available to schools from central funds, in the form of allocations that are additional to and separate from the schools budget shares. Such allocations are subject to the conditions attached to the allocations that set out the purpose or purposes for which the funds may be used. These funds cannot be assimilated into the schools budget share, although some limited virement may be possible. Earmarked funding from centrally retained funds can only be used for the purpose specified. Schools will be required to account separately for such funds. Earmarked funds must be returned to the Authority if not spent inyear, or within the period over which schools are allowed to use the funding if different. The Authority will not make any deduction, in respect of interest costs to the Authority, from payments to schools of devolved specific or special grant Spending for the Purposes of the School Section 50(3) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 allows Governing Bodies to spend budget shares for the purposes of the school, subject to the provisions of the scheme. Under section 50(3)(b) the Secretary of State may prescribe additional purposes for which expenditure of the budget share may occur. Such purposes are prescribed in the Schools Budget Shares (Prescribed Purposes) (England) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/378) and the School Budget Shares (Prescribed Purposes) (England) Amendment regulations 2004(SI 2004/444). In particular, budget shares may be spent for the educational benefit of pupils registered at other maintained schools. From 1 April 2011, under section 50(3A), amounts spent by governing bodies of all schools on community facilities or services under s27 of the Education Act 2002 may be treated as spent for the purposes of the school. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

14 2.14 Capital spending from budget share Governing bodies are permitted to use their delegated budgets to meet the cost of capital expenditure on the school premises. This includes expenditure by the Governing Body of a voluntary aided school on work which is their responsibility under paragraph 3 of Schedule 3 of the School Standards and Framework Act Any planned capital expenditure from the delegated budget must be notified to the Authority. If the expected capital expenditure from the budget share in any year will exceed: 15,000 or 2% of the school s budget share if between 15,000 and 100,000 or 100,000 if 2% of the school s budget share is higher than this, the Governing Body must notify the Authority and take account of advice given as to the merits of the proposed expenditure. Where the premises are owned by the Authority, or the school has voluntary controlled status, then the Governing Body should seek the prior consent of the Authority to any works proposed to the premises, irrespective of value, in accordance with established procedures which are intended to ensure that the appropriate constructional and health and safety standards are complied with. Consent can be withheld only on health and safety grounds 2.15 Notices of concern The authority may issue a notice of concern to the governing body of any school it maintains where, in the opinion of the Chief Finance Officer and the Chief Education Officer/Director of Children s Services, the school has failed to comply with any provisions of the scheme, or where actions need to be taken to safeguard the financial position of the local authority or the school. Such a notice will set out the reasons and evidence for it being made and may place on the governing body restrictions, limitations or prohibitions in relation to the management of funds delegated to it. These may include, without limitation: insisting that relevant staff undertake appropriate training to address any identified weaknesses in the financial management of the school; insisting that an appropriately trained/qualified person chairs the finance committee of the governing body; placing more stringent restrictions or conditions on the day to day financial management of a school than the scheme requires for all schools such as the provision of monthly accounts to the local authority; insisting on regular financial monitoring meetings at the school attended by local authority officers or nominees; requiring a governing body to buy into a local authority s financial Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

15 management systems; and imposing restrictions or limitations on the manner in which a school manages extended school activity funded from within its delegated budget share for example by requiring a school to submit income projections and/or financial monitoring reports on such activities. The notice will clearly state what these requirements are and the way in which and the time by which such requirements must be complied with in order for the notice to be withdrawn. It will also state the actions that the authority may take where the governing body does not comply with the notice Schools Financial Value Standard All local authority maintained schools (including nursery schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)) must demonstrate compliance with the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) and complete the assessment form on an annual basis. It is for the school to determine at what time in the year they wish to complete the form. Governors must demonstrate compliance through the submission of the SFVS assessment form signed by the Chair of Governors. The form must include a summary of remedial actions with a clear timetable, ensuring that each action has a specified deadline and an agreed owner. Governors must monitor the progress of these actions to ensure that all actions are cleared within specified deadlines Fraud All schools must have a robust system of controls to safeguard themselves against fraudulent or improper use of public money and assets. The governing body and head teacher must inform all staff of school policies and procedures related to fraud and theft, the controls in place to prevent them; and the consequences of breaching these controls. This information must also be included in induction for new school staff and governors. School staff should notify Surrey County Council Internal Audit (Telephone ) of any matter coming to their attention that involves or is thought to involve corruption or financial irregularity. In addition the council expects that the police are made aware of, and investigate independently, any offence where material financial impropriety may have occurred. The link to the council's strategy against fraud and corruption and the confidential hotline telephone number for whistleblowing can be found in Section D of the Schools' Finance Manual 1 Sentence added 25 April 2012 following amendments to DfE model scheme Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

16 Section 3: Instalments of Budget Share; Banking Arrangements 3.1 Frequency of Instalments Schools can opt to receive their budget share on a monthly or termly basis. A school without a local bank account is able to draw on its budget share from the start of the year. Schools using the Surrey Payroll Service, can opt to receive payments net of payroll costs (See 3.2) For the purpose of this section, the budget share includes place funding for special schools and SEN centres. 3.2 Proportion of Budget Share Payable at Each Instalment Two options are available to schools operating local bank accounts: Option 1 (Existing Scheme) Payment of non-salary related expenditure in three termly instalments as follows: 1 April - 40% (Covering April to August = 5/12) 1 September - 35% (Covering September to December = 4/12) 1 January - 25% (Covering January to March = 3/12) Salary costs are calculated using the school budget plan. As these are not available until 1 May, an estimate is made of the first termly tranche based on the previous year s budget plan. On 1 June the estimated payment is compared to the actual budget plan and adjusted to ensure that the school receives 40% of the non-salary expenditure in total. Where the estimated payment was below the 40% instalment, the balance plus interest is paid to the school to compensate for the loss of interest between 1 April and 31 May. Where the due date is not a banking day, the payment will be due instead on the next banking day. Option 2 Payment of school budget share in monthly instalments as follows: 1 April - 1/36th of school budget share Month 1-11, 3 working days prior to the pay date - 1/12ths Month 12, 3 working days prior to pay date - 1/12th less 1/36th Temporary cash advances in addition to the above will not be made unless a budget plan has been agreed both by the school and the Authority. This will ensure that school spending is operated on a sound financial basis. In addition, schools that have not made the requisite monthly Authority returns Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

17 will not be provided with an additional cash advance until they are up to date with their claims. Temporary cash advances will only be provided to schools to the extent that they are necessary to allow schools to make payments due without going overdrawn. In assessing the need for such advances, the authority will take into account all funds available to the school originating from official sources, both capital and revenue, and irrespective of the accounts in which they are held. 3.3 Interest Clawback There is no interest clawback from the schools budget share Interest on Late Budget Share The Authority will add interest to late payments of budget share instalments, where such late payment is the result of Authority error. The interest rate used will be the Local Authority 7 day rate. 3.4 Budget Shares for Closing Schools Where it is deemed appropriate by the Authority, the budget shares of schools for which approval for discontinuation has been secured, will be made available until closure on a monthly basis, net of estimated pay costs, even where some different basis was previously used. 3.5 Bank and Building Society Accounts All schools may have an external bank account into which their budget share instalments (as determined by other provisions) are paid. Where schools have such accounts they will be allowed to retain all interest payable on the account. Arrangements for new bank accounts may only be made with effect from the beginning of each financial year. Schools have a choice between a free-standing external bank account or an umbrella account with the County s banker (the HSBC). Under the free standing option schools are able to receive their budget share into the bank account and retain any interest earned. Similarly, the school s umbrella account with the HSBC will be credited with the school budget share and receive interest calculated on a daily basis and credited quarterly at base rate less 0.5%. Details of the local bank account scheme are contained in section G of the LMS Finance Manual and summarised in Annex E. Where a school opens an external bank account the Authority will, if the school desires, transfer immediately to the account an amount agreed by both school and the Authority as the estimated surplus balances held by the Authority in respect of the school s budget share, on the basis that there is then a subsequent correction when accounts for the relevant year are closed Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

18 3.5.1 Restrictions on Accounts Accounts may only be held for the purpose of receiving budget share payments, at the following banks: HSBC plc Barclays Bank plc Royal Bank of Scotland plc (including Nat West) Lloyds Banking Group (including Lloyds, TSB, Halifax and Bank of Scotland) This list of authorised banking institutions may be revised by the authority from time to time in response to market conditions and needs. Schools having bank accounts with other banks prior to 31 March 2011 can retain those accounts. Any school closing an account used to receive its budget share and opening another must select the new bank from the approved list. Schools can opt to hold a local bank account in the name of the school. However, if a school has such an account the account mandate should provide that the Authority is the owner of the funds in the account; that it is entitled to receive statements; and that it can take control of the account if the school s right to a delegated budget is suspended by the Authority. Alternatively schools can opt to hold a local bank account in the name of the Authority under the Umbrella scheme. Such an account must be opened by the Shared Services Banking Team in Business Services Directorate. Signatories for bank accounts are restricted to local authority employees and school employees. Governors who are not members of staff cannot be signatories. Schools managing finances for partnerships (eg networks) are not required to maintain separate bank accounts for such purposes, although they should maintain a clear separation within their own accounts (ie separate source of funds). However, if they choose to maintain a separate bank account, expenditure and income from these accounts should still be reported to the authority as expenditure and income. The transfer of funds to or from a separate bank account should not be reported as expenditure and income at the point of transfer. 3.6 Borrowing by Schools Governing Bodies can only borrow money externally (ie other than from the authority) with the written permission of the Secretary of State. This does Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

19 not apply to Trustees and Foundations, whose borrowing, as private bodies, makes no impact on Government accounts. These debts may not be serviced directly from delegated budgets, but schools are free to agree a charge for a service which the Trustees or Foundation are able to provide as a consequence of their own borrowing. Governing Bodies do not act as agents of the authority when repaying loans. The Secretary of State s general position is that schools will only be granted permission for borrowing in exceptional circumstances. From time to time, however, the Secretary of State may introduce limited schemes in order to meet broader policy objectives. Schools may use any scheme that the Secretary of State has said is available to schools without specific approval, currently including the Salix scheme, which is designed to support energy saving. Schools should be aware that finance leases constitute external borrowing, which cannot be legally entered into without the approval of the Secretary of State. Other similar arrangements may also constitute borrowing. Schools should therefore be cautious when entering longer-term agreements to ensure they do not breach the borrowing restriction. Schools are required to consult the authority before entering into any lease or similar arrangement, or series of leases with the same supplier and/or lessor, which involves the acquisition of equipment with a capital value exceeding 10,000 in any single financial year. Schools are expected to have regard to any advice given by the authority in respect of such leases. Further guidance on leases is given in the school finance manual Use of purchasing cards Schools are not permitted to use credit cards, because they are a form of borrowing. However, schools are encouraged to consider the use of procurement cards in order to facilitate electronic purchases. Procedures for the issue and use of purchase cards are contained in section G of the Finance Manual. 3.7 Other Provisions Detailed rules and guidance on the operation of the local bank account scheme are contained in Section G of the LMS Finance Manual. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

20 Section 4: The Treatment of Surpluses and Deficit Balances Arising in Relation to Budget Share 4.1 Right to Carry Forward Surplus Balances Schools must carry forward from one financial year to the next any surplus/deficit in net expenditure relative to the school s budget share for the year plus/minus any balance brought forward from the previous year, subject to 4.2 below Any school opening a new bank account will receive their estimated carry forward surplus balance on 1 April. The estimate figure would be agreed between the school and the Authority. Any adjustment to this figure would be made following closure of accounts using the outturn statement published under s.251 of the Apprenticeship, Skills, Children and Learning Act Scrutiny of surplus balances The authority is entitled to request information on the proposed use of surplus balances from any school where surplus balances exceed 8% of the following year s budget share (5% for secondary schools) or in other circumstances where, in its view, the level of surplus balances may be a cause for concern. In certain circumstances, the authority may consider the maintenance of a high level of uncommitted surplus balances, unsupported by specific proposals for their use, as evidence of weak management, justifying further action (eg a requirement to submit multi year financial forecasts, or to provide more frequent financial monitoring reports). The authority will no longer recover excessive surplus balances from individual schools. 4.3 Interest on Surplus Balances Balances held by the Authority on behalf of schools, outside schools local bank accounts, whether capital or revenue, will attract no interest 4.4 Obligation to Carry Forward Deficit Balances Deficit balances will be carried forward every year by the deduction of the relevant amounts from the following year s budget share. 4.5 Planning for Deficit Balances Schools may only plan for a deficit budget in accordance with the terms of paragraph 4.9 below. Outside this provision, schools should ensure that total planned expenditure for the financial year should not exceed the budget share, adjusted by amounts carried forward from the previous financial year. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

21 4.6 Charging of Interest on Deficit Balances Application of Interest Surrey Maintained schools will be charged interest at the Local Authority seven day rate on cash advances to support a deficit budget. In some instances the charging of interest may not be in the educational interests of pupils and may act as a disincentive to a new headteacher. Interest charges will therefore be waived for schools in the highest categories of the (ASIP) programme and in other circumstances determined by the Authority. Such circumstances may include schools due for closure or years where in the view of the Authority, the overall budget settlement produces a larger than expected number of deficit budgets in circumstances outside the control of the school governing body. Charges will not be waived for schools operating without a licensed deficit, or for cash advances exceeding these required to support the licensed deficit. Calculation of Interest Interest will be charged on the amount and duration of any additional advance using the following calculation: Additional advance x Number of days/365 x Interest Rate The interest rate will be the Local Authority 7 Day Rate 4.7 Writing Off Deficits The Authority has no power to write off the deficit balance of any school. 4.8 Balances of Closing and Replacement Schools When a school closes, any balance (whether surplus or deficit) reverts to the Authority. It cannot be transferred as a balance to any other school, even where the school is a successor to the closing school 2. For the avoidance of doubt, where a school converts to an Academy under s4(1)(a) of the Academies Act 2010, its surplus or deficit at the date of conversion transfers to the Academy. 4.9 Licensed Deficits Governors have no legal right to set a deficit budget without the consent of the Authority and should not presume that such consent will be granted. However, the Authority will consider approving a licensed deficit to a school where it agrees that there are circumstances in which it would be unreasonable for that school to balance its budgets in-year. This will be 2 However, from April 2011, the Authority s funding formula provides that a clearly identified successor school will receive additional funding equal to any closing surplus of a closed predecessor school. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

22 funded from the collective surplus of school balances held by the Authority on behalf of schools. The detailed arrangements applying to this scheme are set out below: (a) (b) (c) (d) the maximum length of time over which a school may repay a deficits is three years, except where a longer period, not exceeding five years, has been agreed before April 2007 or, after 1 April 2011.: in exceptional circumstances and with the support of the Assistant Director for Schools and Learning and the Director of Finance (or equivalent roles should these positions no longer exist as such). In practice the timescale will depend on the extent of the deficit and the school s ability to take early action. deficit arrangements may be agreed in the following circumstances Falling pupil numbers Spreading the cost of cyclical maintenance works over two or more years Other circumstances agreed by the Authority to be reasonable; the maximum level of deficit which may be agreed is 10% of a school s Budget Share. Licensed Deficits in excess of 5% of a school s Budget Share will be reported to Members for approval; schools balances will be used to support deficits which will be subject to a ceiling of 20%.of available balances (e) schools wishing to apply to the Local Authority to set a deficit budget must consult their Babcock 4 S Finance Consultant in the first instance and should have regard to the consultant s advice if they subsequently choose to apply for a deficit.. A higher level of budget monitoring will be required by the school and Authority for the period of the deficit and until such a time afterwards as the Authority is satisfied that the school is maintaining a balanced budget. (f) Requests for licensed deficits will not normally be approved unless the school can produce a recovery plan which, in the view of the Authority, is realistic, prudent and does not exceed three years. Schools have a duty to identify potential deficits and to plan recovery action early. The Local Authority expects the Recovery Plan to be submitted by 1 June. The format of the Recovery Plan, and arrangements for its submission, will be specified by the Authority in the Finance Manual.. (g) Where a licensed deficit application exceeds 5% of budget, where in the opinion of officers repayment is likely to prove particularly challenging, or where it has been identified through the monitoring process that the school is unlikely to meet its repayment targets, the Authority may impose additional restrictions on a school during the term of the licence, as part of the licence, eg the right of approval of specified staffing appointments or of contracts over a specified value. The need for such restrictions would be assessed on a school by school basis Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September

23 4.10 Loan Schemes The Authority operates a loan scheme funded by the collective balances held by schools. All schools maintained by the Authority are eligible to apply for a loan facility that can be for the: Purchase or replacement of equipment including computer equipment; Full or part funding of premises projects; fulfilment of maintenance responsibilities; energy and environmental improvements; purchase of key worker housing. The normal maximum loan will be up to 5% of the schools budget share. However, subject to a detailed business plan, the Authority may approve a loan in excess of this limit, provided it is satisfied that the school can meet the ongoing commitment. Equipment loans will normally be for a maximum period of three years. Only in exceptional cases will loans for equipment be extended to a maximum of five years. Loans for property will be up to five years, but may be extended to ten years for larger loans used to create or secure an asset. Approval Arrangements Loans up to 100,000 will be approved by the Assistant Director for Schools and Learning Loans between 100,000 and 500,000 will be approved by the Assistant Director for Schools and Learning following consultation with the Schools Forum;. Loans over 500,000 will be approved by the council s Cabinet, following consultation with the Schools Forum. Full details of the scheme including loan approval criteria are contained in Section I of the LMS Finance Manual. Surrey Scheme for Financing Schools 15 September