Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Chief Executive. 

Resolved:

1.    That Cabinet endorse the draft revised plan submitted to the DfE in December, including the new timeline and the interventions set out within it.

That Cabinet approve:

2.    The Corporate Director for Children and Education, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Members, to seek agreement for the revised plan from the Department for Education.

3.    An adjustment to the Plan which was submitted to the DfE in January 2024, and revised in December 2024, to request a block transfer of the maximum amount that can be transferred without impacting school budgets (estimated at 0.24%)

Reason for Decision:

Delivery of the SEND Sustainability Plan is vital to removing the DSG deficit, and related financial risk, from the council and bringing DSG into an in year balance position. Having a realistic plan, over seven years, enables the authority to do this is a structured way that does not compromise on the quality of support given to children and young people with SEND.

Delivery of the plan relies on schools and headteachers working effectively with the local authority and continuing to build a more sustainable system. Given the strength of feeling over the School’s Block transfer, and the uncertainty about whether a request for a 1% transfer would be granted by the Secretary of State without Schools Forum approval, it is felt that maintaining the relationships with schools is paramount and a change required to that assumed and included previously.

Cllr Laura Mayes, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children’s Service, Education and Skills presented a report which provided an update on the Safety Valve Agreement between Wiltshire Council and the Department for Education (DfE).

The Deputy Leader reminded members that the Council signed a Safety Valve agreement with the Department for Education (DfE) on 12 March 2024. She explained that whilst the activity to support the plan is broadly on track, the financial limits are not being met and consequently the agreement has been marked as off track. Appendix 1 of the report reflects the Q2 budget monitoring position that went to Cabinet on 19 November, forecasting an overspend of £17.49m on top of the £28.25m overspend included in the original plan. The increase in spend is primarily due to the number of EHCP’s in the system, 660 ahead of the figure suggested by the original Safety Valve Plan. This now requires significant changes to the Plan as set out in Appendix 2 so that an in-year balanced position can be achieved, and the overall balanced position is now suggested as 2031, therefore a two-year extension is requested of the Department for Education (DfE). The report detailed the changes to the Plan and revisions to be submitted to the DfE following consultation with the Schools Forum in December 2024.  

The Leader noted his previous concerns about the Safety Valve agreement and acknowledged the challenges nationally and associated difficulty in dealing with the process.

Cllr Ian Thorn, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, in noting the changes to the Plan, asked that services remained at a level to meet demand. He also raised questions about the reasons for the increase in EHCP’s and the necessity for a holistic approach to achieve early outcomes and therefore reducing the need for EHCP’s. The Deputy Leader explained that current systems are being recreated to avoid issues of the past and the work to clear the EHCPNA backlog, ensuring where there is a level of need to warrant an EHCP it is available. It was noted that schools are fundamental partners in the process and support offered. 

Cllr Martin Smith commented on the impact of the request for 0.24% transfer from the Schools Block to the High Needs Block. The Deputy Leader confirmed that this transfer did not impact the national funding formula for school budgets.

Cllr Gavin Grant commented on the Council’s ability to work with small rural schools and, the impact of the introduction of additional free care for 3-year-olds and capacity to engage with the number of 3-year-olds entering into childcare. The Deputy Leader explained that the Council worked with all small schools and tailored the support for each child as necessary. She indicated that there were many resource bases in primary schools successfully providing additional help and support to children and these were also being employed in the secondary school environment. Officers explained that the Council has well developed system in place to provide holistic support for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6