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A decision made (19.01.2009) to request a budget transfer from Education Sport and Culture Department's revenue budget to Capital Head of Expenditure relating to the ICT Strategy Phase II.

Decision Reference: MD-ESC-2009-0002
Decision Summary Title:	Budget Adjustments – 2008 (ICT)		Date of Decision Summary:	14th January 2009
Decision Summary Author:	Senior Management Accountant		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title:	Budget Adjustments – 2008 (ICT)		Date of Written Report:	14th January 2009
Written Report Author:	Senior Management Accountant		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: 2008 Budget Transfer
Decision(s): The Minister requested the transfer from the Education, Sport and Culture Department’s revenue budget the sum of £310,000 to ESC’s capital head of expenditure relating to the ICT strategy phase II.
Reason(s) for Decision: Funding for the part of second phase of the ESC department’s ICT strategy was identified in the revenue budget of the department for 2008. Financial Direction 3.6 requires that the Minister make application to the Minister for Treasury and Resources for permission to transfer budgets between revenue and capital heads of expenditure. A number of items of ICT spend have been identified as revenue expenditure in the 2008 accounts and as a result some of the originally identified budget of £500,000 has been retained within revenue to cover these items.
Resource Implications: Other than those detailed in the report there are no further financial or manpower Implications.
Action required: To transfer the identified revenue budgets to vote C3314 – ICT Strategy phase II.
Signature:		Position: Deputy J.G. Reed, Minister for Education, Sport and Culture
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

ICT Strategy Phase II - Budget Adjustments

Department for Education, Sport and Culture Report for Minister
Subject:	Budget Adjustments - 2008
Exempt Clause:	None	Date:	13 January 2009

Authors:	John Littlewood – Head of Finance

1. Introduction

The purpose of this report is to ask the Minister to approve the year end budget transfer in respect of ICT funding.

2. Background

The Minister will note that the issue of how to fund the ICT replacement programme and phase II of the ICT strategy has been on the agenda since the first phase of the strategy commenced in 1999. Funding has now been identified within the States central IT vote for 2009, however, an amount of £500,000 was identified within the 2008 revenue budget of the ESC department and this needs to be transferred to capital expenditure.

In 2005 it was agreed that revenue and capital balances could be used to fund items from phase II of the strategy including enhancement of the existing wide area network, replacement of items bought during phase I of the strategy that were reaching obsolescence and developing new uses for the technology.

ICT has become an essential tool for supporting teaching and learning. Teachers and pupils are more confident in using a variety of media and the development of Internet connectivity has given them access to vast online library of information and resources. Among the significant benefits have been improvements in pupil attainment and motivation, great efficiency in administration and management and more effective working.

3. 2008 Funding

2008 revenue funding for phase II of the strategy has been identified within the ICT section budget in the sum of £500,000. Costs have been incurred on revenue items related to the Strategy and it is necessary to retain a budget of £190,000 within this area to fund these. This leaves a budget of £310,000 in relation to ongoing hardware replacement and development projects.

In order to move this funding to the correct capital project, it is necessary to request the permission of the Minister for Treasury and Resources in accordance with Financial Direction 3.6 “Variations to Heads of Expenditure”.

4. Financial Position at 31 Dec 2008

A summary of the financial position is shown below :

	Budget £	Expenditure £
Brought forward 1 Jan 2007	2,854,697	1,892,758
Revenue transfer	310,000
Expenditure 2008		83.379
Out-turn position 2007	3,164,697	1,976,137

Figures in italics indicate transfers proposed in this report.

In addition to the above, a further £256,000 has been spent on revenue items such as support for schools ICT co-ordinators, software licences, systems support and training. These costs will be reflected within the revenue budget.

A shipment of PCs for delivery to schools was delayed at the year end and these are being delivered this week. However, as they were received after the year end they will have to be accounted for in 2009. Invoices totalling almost £130,000 are expected in relation to this equipment.

5. Recommendations

It is recommended that the Minister:

(i) notes the position with regard to ICT strategy expenditure for 2008;

(ii) requests the Minister for Treasury and Resources to approve the transfer of budgets totalling £310,000 from the ESC department’s revenue budget to capital in respect of the ICT strategy phase II;