HC Deb 09 March 1992 vol 205 cc380-1W
Mr. Richard Shepherd

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the position of Walsall metropolitan borough council in his Department's list of levels of overheads for education authorities in England; what percentage of the council's education budget is spent on administration costs and the average administrative costs per pupil; and if he will give the comparable figures for each of the education authorities in the west midlands.

Mr. Fallon

The information is set out in the table.

Expenditure on central administration relating to primary and secondary schools, 1991–921
LEA As percentage of PSB2 Per cent Ranking by percentage3 Number As expenditure per pupil£
Walsall 3.40 46 60
Birmingham 3.85 64 60
Coventry 4.37 73 80
Dudley 3.64 54 60
Hereford and Worcester 3.18 38 50
Sandwell 4.51 75 80
Shropshire 2.00 7 40
Solihull 1.93 5 30
Staffordshire 4.10 67 70
Warwickshire 3.19 40 50
Wolverhampton 5.33 90 100
1 The figures are derived from local education authorities' budget statements prepared under Section 42 of the Education Reform Act.
2 The potential schools budget (PSB) consists of all spending on schools other than capital expenditure, expenditure supported by Government specific grants, and expenditure on school meals, home to school transport and transitional exceptions from delegation such as grounds maintenance.
3 The ranking is according to the percentage of PSB spent on central administration by each of the 97 LEAs (excluding most inner London LEAs) which currently have local management of schools schemes in operation. The lowest percentage is ranked as 1.