In 2025/26, as in previous years, West Sussex County Council is responsible for deciding local funding formulae for mainstream schools in its area. The funding levels that schools – both Local Authority (LA) maintained schools and academies – receive will be determined by the county’s local formula.
The County Council is required, under national funding regulations, to consult schools and the Schools Forum on proposed changes to funding arrangements affecting school budgets, when setting its local formula each year.
Since the county’s local funding formula now uses the full National Funding Formula values, no consultation document was sent out to mainstream schools for 2025/26, although Schools Forum were still consulted.
Feedback from Schools Forum has been taken into account in the development of the local funding formula for mainstream schools in 2025/26. Approval is now sought to progress the proposed changes to the funding arrangements.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Affects more than 1 division;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Divisions affected: (All Divisions);
Notice of proposed decision first published: 02/12/2024
Decision due: February 2025 by Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Learning and Skills (Cllr Jacquie Russell)
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Learning and Skills (Cllr Jacquie Russell)
Contact: Andy Thorne, Strategic Finance Buinsess Partner Email: andy.thorne@westsussex.gov.uk Tel: 03302223349.
Consultation process
Representations concerning this proposed decision can be made to the decision maker, via the officer contact, by the beginning of the month in which the decision is due to be taken.
Consultees
Schools Forum – 14th November 2024 and 16th January 2025.
Democratic Services Contact: Wendy Saunders Tel: 033 022 22553