School's budget has held on to more than £1million

WEST Berkshire Council has underspent its schools budget by more than £1m, but still pushed through savings and made cuts to services in March.

Among the cuts announced in March was a reduction in services for special education needs pupils and vulnerable children, including staff support for teaching SEN pupils in mainstream schools and a fund to help schools support their most vulnerable children.

Speaking at a School’s Forum held in Newbury in March, when the cuts were confirmed, West Berkshire Council service manager for the SEN and disabled children’s team, Jane Seymour, admitted the cuts would have “negative implications on those with special educational needs”.

However, figures revealed at the forum, at Shaw House on Monday, showed that the total underspend for the year, and money to be carried forward, was £1,099,527.

This is divided into three areas – the schools block, which has an underspend of £148,491, the early years block which underspent by £606,092, and the higher needs block which saw an underspend of £344,944.

All of the figures are for the 2014/15 budget which will now be carried forward to the 2015/16 balance.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting, council officer Claire White confirmed: “If there is an underspend then this is carried forward on to the next year.”

The main source of funding for schools is the dedicated schools grant which is ring-fenced to be used only on school or pupil activity.

The money will now be carried forward to support the school’s budget in future years.