The Schools Forum of Buckinghamshire Council met on Tuesday 13 January 2026 to discuss proposals for de-delegation of funds for the 2026-27 academic year and to consider the school budget proposals for the same period. The meeting also included discussions on facilities funding for teacher unions and the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocation for the upcoming year.

De-Delegation Proposals 2026-27

The forum was scheduled to consider proposals for de-delegation of funds for the 2026-27 academic year. These proposals, which had been reviewed by the Maintained Schools Committee, included recommendations for services such as a contingency fund for schools in deficit, trade union facilities, supply cover for small schools, finance support for schools in financial difficulties, the Educational Visits Service, and school improvement activity. The total proposed de-delegation per pupil for primary and secondary schools was £16.43, and £15.88 per place for special schools.

School Budget Proposals 2026/27

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the school budget proposals for 2026-27. This included the overall Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocation of £752.4m, an increase of £47.6m compared to the previous year. The forum was to consider recommendations for the allocation of funding to mainstream schools based on the local funding formula, with a proposed scaling factor of 99.48% to ensure affordability. Discussions were also scheduled on the Growth Fund, which supports pupil growth to meet basic needs, and the Falling Rolls Fund.

The Central Schools Services Block (CSSB) budget for 2026-27 was also on the agenda, with a projected spend of £5.058m. The High Needs Block budget was proposed at £143.6m, with a noted deficit of £27.3m. The Early Years Funding Formulae (EYFF) for 2026-27 was also to be discussed, reflecting an increase in the overall Early Years DSG funding to £108m, supporting the expansion of the early years offer.

Facilities Funding for Teacher Unions 2026/27

The meeting was scheduled to address the facilities funding for teacher unions for the 2026-27 academic year. This item followed discussions at a previous Schools Forum meeting on 2 December 2025, where potential additional costs had been raised.

The full details of the discussions and any decisions made are not available as the information status is PENDINGCOUNCILPUBLICATION.