Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director of Education and Inclusion

The Assistant Director of Education and Inclusion submitted a report (previously circulated) to provide an update on progress made on the Council’s Safety Valve agreement to address historic deficit in the High Needs Block which supported education provision for young people with Special Educational Needs.

The submitted report stated that the Council has entered into the “Safety Valve” agreement with the Department for Education (DfE), enabling funding over a five year period to address the accumulated deficit on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block (HNB). It was reported that the agreement would require commitment to areas of review and improvement identified by Department for Education (DfE) to bring in year spend in line with the in-year budget by 2023/24.

Discussion ensued on who retained oversight of the agreement and how it was addressed; the disparity between potential for infinite costs alongside a finite budget and whether this increased the chance of failure; whether adjustments could be made if costs were to increase; and the concerns of SEND parents were raised. Members were also interested to learn what safeguards were in place to ensure annual checks with parents had taken place in relation to early intervention work and Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) implementation, and the wider dialogue with parents.

Members entered into discussion as to how the deficit was recorded, how long the deficit had taken to accrue, and whether the Council as an organisation retained a liability for the deficit.

RESOLVED – That the terms of the agreement and progress made to date in relation to the Safety Valve, be noted.