Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Board considered the report of the Community and Children’s Director updating Members with key information relating to the second round of City Premium Grant applications for 2023/24, noting that the amount of funding still available to the Family of Schools for the 2023/24 academic year is £526,500.

Members noted that applications for 41 projects have been received and reviewed, with nearly all proposed projects eligible to be considered for funding. The combined associated cost of eligible projects is £894,777.

Members also noted that the report further proposes that remaining eligible bids from this round be considered for 2024/25 Round 1 funding, in April of 2024, should the schools that have bid wish to re-enter the Spring 2024 bidding round with the same proposals.

Members sought clarification on whether match-funding opportunities were fully explored, and asked how schools might be made aware of match-funding opportunities. The meeting heard that just one bid was match-funded, and that further information would be provided on opportunities for match-funding. The meeting also heard that a partnership post within CoLAT is being funded by CoLC to enable targeted time to be spent on such opportunities.

A Member asked for further information on how the bids were allocated across the three strands. The meeting heard that set amounts exist for each funding stream.

A Member asked why so few Disadvantaged Pupils Grant funds were allocated. The meeting heard that such bids were predominant in the first round, leaving very few for Round 2.

Members asked whether the Grant structure was a good fit for the new strategy to ensure complementarity with the strategic focus for the future.  The meeting heard that the current mechanism encourages collaborative work across the schools and is specifically designed for additionality, and that closer alignment with the strategy is being examined.

A Member commented that there was merit in the finalised information being circulated to LGBs, expected to be by April 2024. 

RESOLVED, That Members delegate authority to the Chair and the Strategic Director of Education and Skills to distribute Round 2 awards from the City Premium Grant: Disadvantaged Pupils Grant, the City Premium Grant: Partnerships Grant, and the City Premium Grant: Strategic Grant to the schools.