Issue - meetings

Dedicated Schools Grant Recovery Plan

Meeting: 09/07/2020 - Cabinet (Item 4)

4 DSG Recovery Plan and DSG Sustainability Plan pdf icon PDF 568 KB

 

A report concerning the Dedicated Schools Grant and the funding of special education in Warwickshire.

Additional documents:

Decision:

That Cabinet:

 

 

1)       Approves the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Recovery Plan

 

2)       Approves the sum of £554,187 from the Sustaining Prevention Fund to be allocated to the SEND & Inclusion Change Programme

 

3)       Continues to raise the issue of sufficient funding for High Needs through direct correspondence with the Secretary of State/Chancellor of the Exchequer and through the Local Government Association, County Council Network and f40 group.

 

4)        Asks the Deputy Leader (Finance and Property) to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to underline Warwickshire’s continuing concerns on the unsustainable funding basis for the high needs sector.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Colin Hayfield (Portfolio Holder for Education and Learning) introduced the published report, explain that this was the second on the subject to be placed before Cabinet in two months. The first report had set out the principles for SEND. This latest report focussed on financial aspects. A fourth recommendation was tabled.

 

Councillor Helen Adkins noted that the difficult situation the Council is in regarding the financing of the SEND service and welcomed the additional recommendation.

 

Councillor Jerry Roodhouse stated that the County Councils Network is working hard to find a solution to the current shortages of funding across the country. That the people being supported by SEND are vulnerable was stressed. In addition, it was noted that the cost of providing services has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

The Chair concluded the item proposing that any letter to the Chancellor should be copied to the Secretaries of State for Education and Housing, Communities and Local Government as well as the local Members of Parliament.

 

Resolved:

 

That Cabinet:

 

1)       Approves the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Recovery Plan

 

2)       Approves the sum of £554,187 from the Sustaining Prevention Fund to be allocated to the SEND & Inclusion Change Programme

 

3)       Continues to raise the issue of sufficient funding for High Needs through direct correspondence with the Secretary of State/Chancellor of the Exchequer and through the Local Government Association, County Council Network and f40 group.

 

4)        Asks the Deputy Leader (Finance and Property) to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to underline Warwickshire’s continuing concerns on the unsustainable funding basis for the high needs sector.