EDUCATION-JAN10-PG16-17:Page 6 04/01/2010 16:15 Page 17
The Budget
Ed Balls has outlined plans to help schools save money so that their
budgets can go even further. These include smart meters to help them
save on energy bills and advice on how to review staffing to save on
wages.
Despite these measures, schools are currently free to spend their
budgets as they wish. Ray Barker from BESA says that budgets for
procurement of new equipment can best be described as ‘elastic’.
“We know that there are some peak buying times, for example in
March, because it is the end of the financial year and new budget is
allocated in April. Then there is another buying peak just before
summer as schools prepare for the new academic year. And of course
there is another flurry in September as schools realise the items they
need for the new term.
“But what we find is that the procurement budget tends to be
what’s left after the other costs are taken into consideration,” he
continues. “The first 80 per cent goes on staff salaries, then there are
the costs of maintaining the buildings. Procurement budget tends to be
what is left over in order to meet the needs of a school’s development
plans, unless planning has enabled schools to ring-fence money.”
training. The total turnover of BESA members is in excess of £1.8
BESA will be present at this month’s BETT show, an exhibition which
billion. BESA members also offer buyers peace of mind by subscribing
it originally started. The association will promote and provide
to a Code of Practice.
information about their 300-plus member companies, which include
This is in place to ensure that buyers of educational and training
manufacturers and distributors of equipment, materials, books,
equipment can have confidence in the goods and services they
consumables, furniture, technology, ICT hardware and digital content
purchase from BESA members. It allows BESA to promote its members
– all to the education market.
as organisations that give the customer an established level of quality
“We represent an industry whose business is education and who
and service, have a commitment to the education market and
have developed products specifically for this market,” says Barker.
delivering good value resources.
“Our job is to work with government to create a market for our
This month provides the best possible opportunity to invest in new
members and to work with schools to provide products that they need
ICT equipment. Visit the BESA information point at BETT and find out
to fulfil their educational aims. Our members work tirelessly to keep
more about its members and services. The education sector is one of
up with all educational developments, such as curriculum changes.”
the very few that can rest assured that it has reasonable funding going
BESA members supply to UK and international markets, across the
forward, so let’s put our best budgets forward and give the economy a
curriculum and at all levels from early years to FE and vocational
boost!
January 2010
www.education-today.co.uk
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