Bradford council tells heads to prove they need it

And a total of 57 schools are in breach of national limits on how much they can save of their annual budgets with primary and special schools allowed to retain up to eight per cent and secondaries five per cent.

Their governing bodies will now be asked to provide proof the money has been assigned to specific projects. If they fail to do so, hefty sums may have to be paid back to the Council to be used elsewhere in the education budget.

The combined surpluses at the end of the 2009/10 financial year add up to almost £22.3m – an increase of £1.8m compared to the previous 12 months. More than £13.4m is held by primary schools and £7.8m by secondary schools.

Only a handful of schools were in deficit. One primary school, three secondary schools and two special schools carried a total deficit of £413,000, a drop by more than half of last year’s deficit. Immanuel Community College was most in the red at £149,902.

Balances for every school are detailed in a statement of accounts for the last financial year which will be scrutinised by the Council’s executive at City Hall on Monday.

The report also reveals how the taxpayer has picked up the bill of almost £390,000 in deficits racked up by the now-closed Rhodesway and Wyke Manor secondary schools. Those debts, and a £48,000 surplus returned by the former High Fernley Primary, have been absorbed by the national Dedicated Schools Grant.

Sue Colman, Bradford Council’s assistant director of learning services, warned that schools’ budgets were “rigorously monitored” to ensure that schools adhered to the percentage rules.

She said: “Where balances exceed these percentages then schools are required to demonstrate that they have plans in place to spend their excess balances and they have to agree these plans with the Local Authority.

“The Schools Forum rigorously monitors the processes for ensuring that schools adhere to their agreed plans for spending.

“Where schools fail to do this then the monies can be clawed back and added to the Dedicated Schools Grant. The Schools Forum recommends to the Council both the excess amounts to be clawed back and how these funds should be used for the benefit of Bradford’s pupils.”

Councillor Ralph Berry, the Council’s executive member for children’s services and education, said: “If the schools can’t come up with a good reason why they have got surplus money then it will be clawed back but many schools are trying to prepare for the coming period of austerity and downturn and if they are doing that in a reasonable and sensible way I don’t see any problem.”

Councillor Adrian Naylor, education spokesman for the Conservative group, said: “Schools in the current climate have to be prudent in how they deal with major buildings projects as long as the savings are legitimate and can be robustly proved so.”

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, leader and education spokesman for the Liberal Democrat group, said schools with surpluses were rightly prudent and she did not believe the amount saved was excessive.

“I would think head teachers foolish if they didn’t keep some money to deal with the peaks and troughs,” she said. “A lot of this money is being used for building projects but it is up to the Council to challenge schools robustly.”

'Cash is all earmarked'

Joan Law, head teacher of Laisterdyke Business and Enterprise College, which holds a £649,209 surplus, said: “The majority is committed to a building project to be done in unison with our projected Building Schools for the Future phase three build.

“It’s been to tender and it should be started in the next few weeks. The money will be gone in the next six months. It is directed at school improvement for pupils.

“The next three years are going to be very tight and we shouldn’t be pillorying schools. Schools should be encouraged to save that five or eight per cent. There will be redundancies across schools in the coming years and what we have tried to do is come up with a budget that will sustain our staffing levels.”

Sue Wood, head teacher at Girlington, said: “We can carry forward eight per cent for major works and that accounts for £192,000. In addition to that I have an Intended Use of Balance of £309,742. That is absolutely earmarked because we are right in the middle of a major rebuilding programme and is due to be spent by October.

“The money has been saved over two years so we didn’t have to close the school at any point and naturally we are got going to pay the costs until the building work is completed.”

A spokesman for Immanuel College said: “These figures do not tell the full story. The head teacher and Governors inherited a deficit of £1.2m. This has been reduced as part of a deficit plan with the Local Authority. In this financial year, we are projecting a surplus.”

INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BALANCES AT 31 MARCH 2010

Surplus £ ( minus indciates deficit £)

NURSERY SCHOOLS

Abbey Green Nursery 36,606.

Hirst Wood Nursery 153,401.

Lilycroft Nursery 58,639.

Midland Road Nursery 26,316.

St Edmunds Nursery 40,377.

Strong Close Nursery 56,306.

Canterbury Childrens Centre 218,120.

All nursery schools 434,383.

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Addingham Primary 45,941.

Aire View Infant 34,222.

All Saints C 0F E Primary (Ilkley) 82,465.

All Saints C of E Primary (Bradford) 56,236.

Allerton Primary 81,496.

Ashlands Primary 21,761.

Atlas Community Primary 48,284.

Baildon C of E Primary 47,213.

Bankfoot Primary 52,535.

Barkerend Primary 103,850.

Ben Rhydding Primary 29,087.

Blakehill Primary 87,439.

Bowling Park Primary 274,537.

Brackenhill Primary 49,771.

Bradford Moor Community Primary 134,423.

Burley And Woodhead C of E Primary 80,769.

Burley Oaks Primary 63,303.

Byron Primary 269,482.

Carrwood Primary 50,547.

Cavendish Primary 53,739.

Clayton C of E Primary 61,012.

Clayton Village Primary 61,011.

Copthorne Primary 244,110.

Cottingley Village Primary 88,620.

Crossflatts Primary 127,336.

Crossley Hall Primary 179,701.

Cullingworth Primary 92,283.

Denholme Primary 53,276.

East Morton C of E Primary 36,021.

Eastburn Junior And Infant 71,351.

Eastwood Primary 153,952.

Eldwick Primary 99,419.

Fagley Primary 52,043.

Farfield Primary 37,666.

Farnham Primary 78,938.

Fearnville Primary 118,001.

Feversham Primary 1,401.

Foxhill Primary 144,063.

Frizinghall Primary 186,810.

Girlington Primary 502,171.

Glenaire Primary 23,321.

Grange Road Primary 60,124.

Green Lane Primary 33,419.

Greengates Primary 5,466.

Grove House Primary 68,902.

Harden Primary 33,381.

Haworth Primary 104,624.

Heaton Primary 108,416.

Heaton St Barnabas C of E Primary 143,253.

High Crags Primary 56,869.

Hill Top C of E Primary 57,300.

Hollingwood Primary 141,173.

Holybrook Primary School 72,128.

Holycroft Primary 116,389.

Home Farm Primary 122,143.

Horton Park Primary 59,835.

Hothfield Junior 70,797.

Hoyle Court Primary 48,319.

Idle C of E Primary 9,357.

Ingrow Primary 345.

Iqra Primary School 245,215.

Keelham Primary 36,833.

Keighley St Andrews C of E Primary 147,472.

Killinghall Primary 132,864.

Knowleswood Primary School 89,031.

Lapage Primary 140,610.

Laycock Primary 40,241.

Lees Primary 32,761.

Ley Top Primary 70,532.

Lidget Green Primary 71,979.

Lillycroft Primary 107,145.

Lister Primary 181,820.

Long Lee Primary 8,682.

Low Ash Primary 94,619.

Low Moor C of E Primary 69,407.

Lowerfields Primary School 79,565.

Margaret Mcmillan Primary 220,982.

Marshfield Primary 67,184.

Menston Primary 4,800.

Merlin Top Primary 108,828.

Miriam Lord Community Primary 193,812.

Myrtle Park Primary 61,210.

Nessfield Primary 56,445.

Newby Primary 177,715.

Newhall Park Primary School 61,372.

Oakworth Primary 27,287.

Oldfield Primary 23,443.

Our Lady & St Brendans Catholic Primary 52,838.

Our Lady of Victories Catholic Primary 50,369.

Oxenhope C of E Primary 20,225.

Parkland Primary 67,116.

Parkwood Primary 91,677.

Peel Park Primary 97,710.

Poplars Farm Primary 56,904.

Priestthorpe Primary 41,531.

Princeville Primary 93,762.

Reevy Hill Primary 146,585.

Russell Hall Primary 42,581.

Ryecroft Primary 134,464.

Saltaire Primary 47,448.

Sandal Primary 59,054.

Sandy Lane Primary 69,751.

Shibden Head Primary 86,620.

Shipley C of E Primary 101,652.

Shirley Manor Primary 50,360.

Southmere Primary 257,898.

Springwood Community Primary 78,496.

St Annes Catholic Primary 50,366.

St Anthonys Catholic Primary (Clayton) 63,169.

St Anthonys Catholic Primary (Shipley) 42,770.

St Clares Catholic Primary 37,393.

St Columbas Catholic Primary 108,255.

St Cuthberts & First Martyrs Rc Primary 48,863.

St Francis Catholic Primary -7,981.

St James' Church Primary School 89,820.

St John The Evangelist Catholic Primary 42,316.

St Johns C of E Primary 112,598.

St Josephs Catholic Primary (Bingley) 45,817.

St Josephs Catholic Primary (Bradford) 92,545.

St Josephs Catholic Primary (Keighley) 129,148.

St Lukes C of E Primary 44,953.

St Mary's C of E Primary Riddlesden 35,064.

St Matthews C of E Primary 115,505.

St Matthews Catholic Primary (Bradford) 81,150.

St Oswalds C of E Primary 162,632.

St Paul'S Ce Primary 49,045.

St Peters Catholic Primary 70,525.

St Phillips C of E Primary 89,897.

St Stephens C of E Primary 73,794.

St Walburgas Catholic Primary 111,860.

St Williams Catholic Primary 61,136.

St Winefrides Catholic Primary 177,806.

Stanbury Village School 38,120.

Steeton Primary 67,606.

Stocks Lane Primary 23,591.

Swain House Primary 207,153.

Thackley Primary 67,938.

The Sacred Heart Catholic Primary 17,533.

Thornbury Primary 175,443.

Thornton Primary 50,207.

Thorpe Primary School 6,961.

Trinity All Saints C of E Primary 56,536.

Victoria Primary 154,897.

Wellington Primary 64,295.

Westbourne Primary 129,917.

Westminster (CE) Primary 90,934.

Whetley Primary 69,217.

Wibsey Primary 177,301.

Wilsden Primary 51,199.

Windhill C of E Primary 150,737.

Woodlands C of E Primary 36,519.

Woodside Primary 104,577.

All primary schools 13,420,203 -7,981

SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Beckfoot 395,370.

Belle Vue Boys' 265,093.

Belle Vue Girls' 391,876.

Bingley Grammar 490,657.

Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College 535,367.

Carlton Bolling College 516,366.

Challenge College 188,923.

Feversham College 417,542.

Grange Technology College 651,899.

Greenhead High 266,207.

Hanson -60,017.

Ilkley Grammar 652,648.

Immanuel Community College -149,902.

Laisterdyke Business and Enterprise College 649,209.

Nab Wood 247,251.

Oakbank 402,176.

Parkside 7,863.

Queensbury 64.

Titus Salt 10,110.

St Bede's Catholic Grammar 237,261.

St Joseph's Catholic College 197,249.

The Holy Family -57,485.

Thornton Grammar 490,466.

Tong High 336,078.

Yorkshire Martyrs Catholic College 497,417.

All secondary schools 7,847,092 -267,404

SPECIAL SCHOOLS

Bolling 57,507.

Braithwaite 764.

Branshaw 43,564.

Chapel Grange 47,169.

Greenfield 56,104.

Haycliffe -108,907.

Heaton Royds 28,188.

Lister Lane (Home & Hospital) 74,457.

Netherlands Ave School & Comm. Nursery -28,432.

Thorn Park 23,986.

Wedgwood School & Community Nursery 89,789.

All special schools 421,527 -137,339.

COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTRES & OTHER ACTIVITY

Abbey Green NNI 91,900.

BD3 4ALL 57,160.

Carlton Bolling City Learning Centre 321,235.

Carrwood Community Centre 1,100.

Challenge City Learning Centre 549,914.

Crossley Hall Primary CC 14,147.

Excellence Challenge - Tong School 257,957.

Greenhead City Learning Centre 546,337.

Heaton C C 143,520.

Hirst Wood Child C -133,151.

Horizons at Holybrook 36,420.

Iqra Community Centre 32,215.

Lidget Green C C 29,652.

Lilycroft NNI 105,194.

Lister Vol Comm Fund -126.

Midland Road NNI 32,855.

Parkland C C -17,740.

Princeville CC 73,421.

Rycroft First Community Centre 40,096.

Sports College - Tong School 23,726.

Sports Co-Ordinator - Tong School 149,030.

Strong Close CC -18,095.

Thornton Prim C C -13,583.

Woodside Childrens C 45,641.

All community learning centre & other activity 2,533,780 -164,954.