School finances are both in the positive and in the negative, confusing some members of a council panel.
The discussion on the schools budget position was part of a wider discussion on Powys County Council’s position at the end of the last financial year, which was an overspend of £713,000.
Last month nearly a third of schools had to set deficit budgets approved by Powys County Council’s Cabinet.
Each year schools in Powys are given around a third of the overall budget for PCC. This is known as the school’s delegated budget.
Last year they received a working budget of £75,322million out of £247,002 million.
Some of PCC’s schools are nearly £4 million in debt, but money held by other schools in reserves brings the figures up to just over £78,000 in the black.
This figure was much trumpeted by education portfolio holder, Cllr Myfanwy Alexander.
But other figures showing the school’s budget for 2018/19 was over £600,000 more than expected. Their actual spend was £75.938 million.
Liberal Democrat and Greens group leader, Cllr James Gibson-Watt, said: “I know that once the money is given to the schools delegated budget it’s treated as if does’nt really matter it’s not the council business anymore, it’s the schools.
“Technically that’s true but it does impact us. The figures in here do not match the figures we’ve had previously.
“The table given to members a while ago showed the net position for all schools was a positive balance of £78, 399. That’s not what it says here.
“The problem for this is looking at a net position is very unsatisfactory.
“Primary schools carried a significant budget surplus overall but the secondary and special schools sector drove that figure down significantly.”
“I don’t know what the figure is? Does anybody?”
Head of finance, Jane Thomas, explained the figures: “It’s different information. You are right if we had a deficit reserve sat in schools it could potentially impact on the council and the general fund.
“When you look at this table the budget for schools was set at £75,322 million.
“To achieve that budget, schools would be drawing or putting money in to reserves, depending on their position.
“This would be the target and this shows spend against budget. This is the figure they were to be better or worse against. This is the bottom line.”
