The Buckinghamshire Council Schools Forum met to discuss Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budget monitoring and consultation outcomes. The meeting was scheduled to include a review of the DSG revenue budget for the 2025-26 financial year, as well as a discussion of the outcomes and recommendations from recent consultations.

DSG Revenue Budget Monitoring

The Schools Forum was scheduled to note the DSG revenue budget monitoring position for 2025-26. According to the Public Reports Pack, Russell Dyer, Interim Head of Finance, Children's Services, prepared a report that set out the budget monitoring position for the DSG budget as of period 5.

The report indicated that the overall budgeted in-year pressure on the DSG was £22.9 million, which was attributed to spending pressures on the High Needs Block. It was noted that the forecast position as of period 5 was in line with this budgeted deficit. The cumulative DSG reserve deficit was forecast to be £47.4 million as of 31 March 2026.

The £22.9 million deficit budget on the High Needs Block was detailed in an appendix. Key variations within the placement cost and volume budgets, compared to the period 5 forecast position, included:

• A £1.2 million adverse variance from budget due to an increase in unit costs of Special Schools Top ups.
• A £1.4 million adverse variance from budget in Other Local Authority Special Schools, due to an increase in the number of pupils attending out-of-borough special schools.
• A £1.6 million adverse variance from budget due to an increase in alternative provision pupil numbers.
• A £3.0 million favourable variance from budget due to a reduction in placement unit costs and pupil numbers in independent schools.
• A £1.2 million favourable variance from budget due to lower costs than budgeted for mainstream top ups.

The report stated that any variance against the DSG would be managed through the ringfenced DSG reserve. The DSG deficit at the start of the 2025-26 financial year was £24.5 million, and the forecasted in-year movement of £22.9 million was expected to result in a closing deficit reserve of £47.4 million as of 31 March 2026.

The report also noted that the results of the delayed White Paper and the 2026/27 budget settlement regarding the High Needs Block were awaited. The council stated that it was continuing to work on a broad strategy to mitigate pressures within the High Needs Block.

An updated appendix for item 4, the DSG Revenue Budget Monitoring Period 5, was also included in the report pack.

Consultation Outcomes and Recommendations

The Schools Forum was also scheduled to discuss the outcomes and recommendations from recent consultations. The Consultation Outcomes and Recommendations document was marked as 'to follow' in the agenda.

Other items

The agenda for the meeting of 17 November 2025 also included:

• Apologies for absence.
• Declarations of interest.
• Approval of the minutes from the meeting held on 1 July 2025.
• Setting the date for the next meeting as 2 December 2025.