Telford and Wrekin schools face charges for joint-use swimming pools
Schools face being charged for using swimming pools which are part of joint-use leisure facilities, if government funding is withdrawn.
Telford & Wrekin Council says that ‘for many years’ it has received ‘exceptional’ use funding for joint-use leisure facilities.
“These exceptional factors result in additional Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) being allocated, over and above the amounts allocated by the Department for Education (DfE) Schools Block funding formula,” the council says.
“These funds are used for the provision of swimming and other sports activities to schools and the wider community, at Oakengates Leisure Centre (via Telford Priory), Stirchley Leisure Centre (Telford Park) and Shortwood, Newport and Abraham Darby pools.”
However, the council states that the Government is revising how funding is allocated and is reviewing the ‘exceptional funding’ elements.
“The DfE have said in particular that they don’t consider swimming to be an ‘exceptional’ activity and so are proposing to withdraw funding for this,” it added.
During the last financial year £90,000 was allocated to Shortwood Primary School, which would be lost because of the funding change.
Telford Priory School, adjacent to Oakengates Leisure Centre, was allocated £155,000 for swimming provision.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet are due to meet on Thursday to consider an updated schools funding formula for the next financial year.
A report to councillors adds: “We have made representations to the DfE concerning the impact of reducing/removing joint use funding and in particular that given the extreme financial pressure that Telford & Wrekin Council (in common with other councils) is under, the council does not have the financial resources to replace any lost funding.
“We are currently awaiting the DfE decision. In the meantime, we are developing contingency plans in the event that funding is reduced/withdrawn.
“These will include introducing charges for schools using the swimming pools.”
As part of the funding formula for mainstream schools in Telford and Wrekin, an estimated £161million will be distributed.
The report states that the council’s funding formula mirrors the Government’s formula for schools ‘as far as is possible’.
The recommended formula to the council’s cabinet includes a guaranteed increase per pupil of 0.5 per cent, the maximum allowable by government.
The report adds that ‘where appropriate’ they will support growing schools by using estimated pupil numbers to determine funding, to avoid a lag in money reaching growing schools.
It says: “There continues to be significant pupil growth in the secondary sector in Telford and Wrekin. In order to support this growth, when schools agree upon request from the council to increase their pupil admission number (PAN), or to admit pupils above their PAN, these schools are proposed to be funded based on the resulting estimated pupil numbers in the admission year (reception for primary, Year 7 for secondary schools).
“This avoids the lag in the school funding system, as usually funding for the financial year April to March (maintained schools) or academic year September to August (academies) is based on the preceding year’s October census.
“This proposal matches the arrangements followed in 2022/23 and 2023/24. Additional funding for pupil growth is provided by government based on local demographic data.
“Actual allocations to schools can only be finalised once final funding information is released by the DfE in December.”
