Schools budget underspent, ...its that time again! Options

[On the edge]

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/14...KPObe64E.mailto

Interesting one this! Arguably, it's good news, a functional unit is coming in under budget. Of course, any sane process would map this against performance but we don't seem to have that luxury. Some of the budget is apparently being carried forwards support future projects, fine, but should those sums be included in the budget numbers for this period?

Having said all that, my biggest gripe about public service budgeting is that it perpetuates bad management. A manager calculates the budget projection; which isn't that easy to challenge, builds in contingency and fringe projects. Then, at the end of the budget year; has a spend up on any old thing, so long as it brings projected and actual into line. Job done and bonus paid.

We really shouldn't be rewarding mediocrity, let's see an independent test on projected, produce projected, actual AND key performance together.