Purpose

There have been circa. 10 academy conversions in Sefton in the last four years.  Despite significant officer involvement across a number of council services in the process of schools converting to academy status, the Council has not recovered any costs associated with those conversions.  This report outlines why the Council is proposing to charge a flat rate of £8,000 per conversion which has been costed as being reasonable and justifiable. 

This charge is only in relation to those schools who choose to covert, rather than those who have been mandated.

Decision

Decision(s):

(1) The Council be authrorised to charge £8,000 per academy conversion.

(2) The £8,000 income from the conversion be spilt on a pro-rata basis between Education Excellence, Legal, Transactional HR, Payroll & Pensions and Finance departments.

Reasons for the Decision (s):

The Council currently generates no income when a school converts to an academy.  The process of conversion, however, involves substantial officer time and knowledge in the education excellence, legal, finance and transactional HR/payroll/pension departments.  Research has shown that many other local authorities charge the school when they convert; these charges often do not cover the officer time spent on the matter but are a contribution.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected: (including any Risk Implications)

If the Council continues to not charge, then there is no financial recovery of officer time spent on these conversions.