MINISTRY RESOURCING

Resourcing (Schools)

Governments (State and Commonwealth) provide financial resources on a needs basis to an approved authority. The expectation is that distribution of these resources be on a similar principle of need by the contracted authority to its constituent groups.

• Commonwealth - to the Corporation of the Roman Catholic Bishops of Queensland, of which QCEC is the delegated agent.
  
• State - to the Corporation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns, of which CES is the delegated agent.

Within the Cairns Diocese, the further stewardship of resources occurs within the
following parameters.

• Diocesan and Parish Secondary Schools:

These schools are funded directly and are not subject to further distribution of funding based on diocesan needs. That means that funds paid to secondary schools are wholly retained for use within the school.

Budgets are prepared locally by the College Administration Team and progress via the School Board to the Diocesan Finance Council having being reviewed by the Diocesan Board of Governance (Education).

• Parish Primary Schools:

The allocation of recurrent funds to Parish Schools is via the staffing formula. Differentiation of support is based on student profile, school numbers, isolation, school resourcing levels, socio economic status. Recurrent funding for salaries, administration and support are managed by CES. Parameters of management, inclusive of consultation with schools and colleges, are established by the Education Board. In turn, the Diocesan Finance Council authorises and monitors financial operations on behalf of the Bishop.

Local budgets are prepared and authorised within the Parish, with monitoring by the Finance Committee of the Diocesan Education Board.



Resourcing (CES)

CES is supported from three financial sources:

• Personnel and operational costs funded from a percentage of recurrent government grants to provide administration, student and school services;
• Personnel and operational costs funded from specific targeted programs designed to enhance the quality of educational programmes within schools;
• Personnel and operational costs funded from diocesan resources for specific purposes (eg state schools' religious education, workplace health and safety).

The complement of CES staff is within the limits endorsed by the Catholic Education Board. It
is comparable with that of other Catholic Education Offices of equivalent size and does not
exceed provision applicable in the broader educational environment.