Finance

What do we do?
We ensure that the Group’s budget is accurately monitored and controlled in accordance with the statutory requirements, make salary payments of 8,000 staff including the assessment of salary for 3,000 teaching staff, provide student award payments and assessments and financial support to the schools and centrally controlled establishments and services. We are also responsible for co-ordinating the Group’s strategy to ‘special project’ funding.

What have we achieved?

	The successful amalgamation of the newly formed Education and Children Services Group’s budget, which exceeds £150 million, in line with the Best Value Accounting Code of Practice.
	Provided financial support and assistance in securing European Structural Funds e.g. Genesis Project, RCT Detached Youth Worker, Intermediate Labour Market and RCT Youth Service Accredited Curriculum.
	Successfully taken over the monitoring of additional services i.e. Theatres, Glyncornel, Valleys Arts Marketing, Nantgarw and the Rhondda Heritage Park.
	Devised a budget manual, which will be the focus of a training programme.
	Provided the relevant information on ECS for the Authority’s budget book.
	Closed the Group’s accounts in line with the timetable as requested by District Audit.
	Successfully processed all Salaries and Wages for Children’s Services staff who were transferred to the existing Education payroll in April 2002, together with the implementation of a large number of re-gradings.
	Successfully implemented the payment of threshold allowances to over 1,500 teachers.
	Continued support and guidance to the cost centre managers within the Group in the area of cost centre management.
	Payment of 70 student awards and the assessment of 3,200 loan applications and will be implementing the new Assembly Learning Grant in September 02.
	Continued support and guidance to the 19 cheque book secondary schools and 59 primary schools.
	Increased income to the Authority for school milk provision claimed from the Rural Payments Agency.
	Established a financial services web site on the internet.

What do our Service Users think?

“The staff have helped to bring clarity to processes that managers previously found confusing and are united in their praise. The team makes others jobs much easier.”
Gareth Newton, Divisional Director Lifelong Learning.