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Value for Money (VFM). Based on the Audit Commission Report Valuable Lessons –July 2009. National Perspective. Value for money requires economy and efficiency as well as effectiveness (the 3 e’s) FMSiS focus on processes rather than the real achievement of economy and efficiency
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Value for Money (VFM) Based on the Audit Commission Report Valuable Lessons –July 2009
National Perspective • Value for money requires economy and efficiency as well as effectiveness (the 3 e’s) • FMSiS focus on processes rather than the real achievement of economy and efficiency • Councils focus on processes and helping schools in financial difficulties • OFSTED’s VFM focused more on effectiveness rather than economy and efficiency
What is VFM? • Best use of available resources, including getting better outcomes for the same spend, or freeing up resources that are being used inefficiently for other purposes
The Audit Commission has: Provided separate guidance to: • Councils • Governors • School staff with financial responsibilities (these have been distributed by schools finance) • Summary report • Full report
Audit Commission will: • Work with Ofsted to review/improve the criteria for assessing value for money • Update their Managing School Resources tool- helps school self-assess whether they are getting the best from their budgets • Provide a new tool to help schools cost workforce expenditure and compare this with performance
Procurement • Schools spent £6.8 billion in 2007/08 on goods and services • Schools could save £400 million through better procurement alone • Running costs 22% of schools expenditure, quoted nationally • In the ERYC 2008-09 schools spent £44,424,436 = 22.73% of overall spend
Entering into Contracts • Photocopier contracts (e.g) • Free copiers can be costly • ‘Ever green’ contracts Be very aware before signing any contract, read the small print, terms and conditions. Get Legal services to check it out. Could be very costly !! • Check termination terms. If you forget, the contract could run for another year
Workforce • Workforce cost £24.2 billion • Comparing 1997 there are • 32,000 more teachers • 100,000 more teaching assistants • 70,000 more support staff While pupil numbers have fallen by 80,000 Nationally quoted 78% of overall spend by schools In 2008-09 ERYC 77.27% = £161,132,171
Statement • The deployment of classroom staff is the most important financial decision in a school
School Balances • £680 million in 1999/2000 • £1.76 billion in 2007/08 • £2 billion in 2008/09 Nearly 40% of schools have excessive balances • Could release £500 million nationally from excess balances
Funding • Surpluses can grow due to uncertainty about future years funding • Right response to uncertainty is good financial management, rather than retaining resources • Funding is for the pupils in school now
Funding Settlements • The likelihood is that funding growth will be lower than in recent years. • Schools need to be planning now for ways of coping with a much more austere future. • Greatest challenge to public sector managers – whilst raising standards
Making Efficiency Gains Without adversely affecting children’s education:- • Use national benchmarking tool to identify high cost • Improve planning to include the cost of the workforce and link financial and performance information • Collaborate with other schools • Federation • Report produced for school staff • Managing school resources toolkit- help schools review and improve these processes
Governors Role • FMSiS has improved Governors ability to challenge • Governors should not think that by challenging a headteachers authority is undermined – it is part of their role • Governors should be involved in decisions regarding VFM
Councils should: • Challenge schools to produce well costed development plans • Provide VFM training • Align the finance and service improvement support • Encourage schools to use the national benchmarking website • Encourage collaboration working arrangements
Question • If we spend this amount of money on this item / person, what is the desired outcome? • If you had an extra £10,000 in your budget, what would you spend it on?
Practical ways – to start you off • Set printer to print double sided and black and white file, print, then click on ‘properties’ • Switch off computer screen when not in use
Questions • How have you achieved / demonstrated VFM in your school? • What constraints do schools feel there are to achieving best value for money? • What can the Authority do to help? • What can schools do ?