Funding 82: Exceptional Circumstances relating to school premises – reduced funding
The ESFA has been conducting a review of Devon’s Exceptional Circumstances relating to school premises (including rents, dual use facilities and other exceptional premises costs). Unfortunately, we have been advised that a number of items that we have requested funding for in 2023-24 should not have been funded. While the ESFA are not proposing to claw back any funding for 2023-24, we will not be able to claim for these items from 2024-25 onwards. We are not allowed to claim for:
- Any capital costs.
- Any leasing costs where a copy of the lease is not available.
- Leasing costs for car parking areas.
- Maintenance costs.
- Any costs relating to a nursery site. Funding for mixed year group may still be approved to some extent by the ESFA based on NOR.
- Leasing costs where the property has been transferred to the legal entity the school is part of
The above list includes everything we are currently aware of, but it may not be exhaustive.
Schools affected will be contacted directly via e-mail as soon as we have final confirmation of approved funding from the ESFA.
In additional to the above, please remember that schools will only be eligible for this funding if costs exceed 1% of budget share and that the factor applies to fewer than 5% of schools in the local authority area. For Devon this means only the top 17 schools in terms of total exceptional premises costs for the year will receive funding each year.