Local authorities (LAs) are required under Section 251 (formerly Section 52) of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 to prepare and publish a budget statement at the beginning of each financial year. These budget statements are the prescribed means of informing schools and the public in general about the funding plans of the LA.

The statements are intended to provide a clear picture, in a common format, of:

• The authority’s planned spending
• How much of the whole education budget the LA intends to spend on items outside the schools’ budget
• How much the LA is proposing to retain centrally within the schools’ budget for school services
• How the funding formula is working to produce budget shares for each school in the LA’s area

Budget reports published to date are attached.