Updated: 21st November, 2024
Created: 6th November, 2024
Robert joined Barker in 2002 and is a Partner based in our Braintree office. A Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, he has over 20 years’ experience of all core building surveying services and provides strategic estates advice to key accounts in the education, commercial, ecclesiastical and public sectors.
An education specialist, he provides the following services: estates and energy strategy, asset management planning, project management and capital funding applications.
Robert works closely with clients to plan and implement energy efficiency and sustainability strategies to save money, reduce carbon emissions and meet ESG objectives.
As a RICS Certified Historic Buildings Professional he provides conservation consultancy for clients with listed and historic buildings.
Robert is an experienced APC Assessor and Chairman and is also an external examiner for Anglia Ruskin University
As a Partner Robert leads the Business Development and Marketing function at Barker, builds relationships with key sector bodies and helps steer the strategic growth of the company.
Email: rgould@barker-associates.co.uk
Tel: 01279 648057
The recent UK Budget announcement has ushered in significant financial changes for the education sector, reflecting the government’s response to urgent needs and shifting priorities within the landscape of education. At the heart of these changes are additional funding allocations, new tax measures, and strategic funding cuts, each with potential long-term impacts on the functioning and quality of educational services.
The Chancellor’s budget has allocated an additional £1 billion to address the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This increase is a response to warnings from the official spending watchdog about the financial unsustainability of the current SEND system, which faces a looming deficit exceeding £4 billion. Although this additional funding provides temporary relief, it does not fully resolve the underlying financial challenges of the system, indicating a need for more comprehensive reforms in the future.
The budget also highlights a significant investment in educational infrastructure, with a £6.7 billion capital allocation for the next year. This marks a 19% real-terms increase from the current year and includes £1.4 billion dedicated to rebuilding 500 schools in dire need of renovation. An additional £2.1 billion is earmarked for school maintenance, reflecting a £300 million increase from this year. These investments are crucial for addressing the infrastructural deficits that have become increasingly apparent in recent years including the RAAC crisis.
A controversial aspect of the budget is the introduction of a 20% VAT on independent school fees. This measure is expected to significantly increase the cost of private education, potentially affecting enrolment and the financial stability of independent schools. The Independent Schools Council has announced plans to challenge this tax legally, citing potential violations of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The budget has also revealed cuts to several funding streams that previously supported educational development. Notably, the Trust Capacity Fund and the academy conversion support grant are being discontinued. These cuts could undermine the growth and support of multi-academy trusts, particularly affecting their capacity to integrate and assist struggling schools.
The budget has elicited mixed reactions from various stakeholders. The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) have expressed concerns about the cuts to trust funding and the overall strategic direction of funding within the education sector. The BBC’s Education Editor, Branwen Jeffreys, describes the additional SEND funding as a “financial sticking plaster” that temporarily addresses but does not resolve the systemic issues. They emphasize the need for a more sustainable and comprehensive funding strategy that truly supports all facets of education, from infrastructure to special needs provision.
From Barker’s standpoint, focusing on educational property consultancy, the changes introduced in the budget present both challenges and opportunities. The increases in SEND and capital spending are welcomed and much-needed to start to address the maintenance backlog that exists in the school estate. The imposition of VAT on independent school fees necessitates that schools carefully reconsider their financial strategies, particularly in terms of capital works and VAT recovery. Schools must now plan their capital expenditures judiciously to maximise VAT recovery and mitigate the financial impact of the new tax measure.
The 2024 UK Budget has set forth a complex array of financial adjustments for the education sector. While the increase in funding for SEND and capital investments is a positive development, the imposition of VAT on independent school fees and the cuts to critical funding streams pose new challenges. The sector must navigate these changes with strategic planning to ensure that the educational needs of all students are met, and that the infrastructure supporting education is both modern and robust