Cheshire East Council has no plan in place to deal with its massive special needs budget deficit, just a seven-year proposal to bring spending back in line with grant income, a councillor said.
The Dedicated School Grant (DSG) overspend was reported to be about £112.1 million at the end of the 2024/25 financial year.
Plans for improving special needs provision for Cheshire East children are in limbo because the government has not made a decision on the authority’s bid to convert its former HQ into a school, a councillor said.
Officers briefed the children and families committee on the council’s proposed SEND (special educational needs and disability) and AP (Alternative Provision) ‘One Plan’.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
A panel set up last summer to look at the ‘extreme challenge’ of Cheshire East Council’s whopping £116 million special needs budget deficit has not met once, a councillor said.
Cash-strapped Cheshire East is overspent on its special needs and disability (SEND) budget because the cost of provision has outstripped government funding.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council has reduced its special needs budget deficit by £10.1 million.
This means it was about £80m overspent in this area at the end of 2023/24 year instead of the predicted £90m.
Dear Editor,
In 2019, Children’s Services had a £1.6 million surplus.
However, the Labour-Independent administration has since accrued Special Needs debts of £90 million, which if not addressed will rise to £1.2billion by 2031.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council has applied for funding to set up two new free schools for children with special educational needs.
If the bid is successful, it could create an extra 120 places for pupils in the borough with special educational needs (SEN)
Cheshire East councillors have backed a £1 million expansion of a school in South Cheshire for children with special educational needs.
Springfield Special School, in Crewe, is to increase from 132 pupils places to 156 under proposals backed by the council’s cabinet.
Recent Comments