Overspending threat to education

Local education authority chiefs (LEA) also insisted the projected rise caused largely by placing children in non-LEA schools was needs-led and could be difficult to stop. Only immediate investment could prevent spending spiralling forever upwards.

But as Suttons education funding is ring-fenced at the Governments recommended expenditure level overspending in one area must be balanced by under-spending elsewhere.

The officer with overall

responsibility for SEN Muriel McIntosh said: While every effort is being made to contain this expenditure within the education service ring-fenced budget, it is unlikely we will be able to achieve this.

Additional unplanned spending on SEN will have an adverse impact upon the resources available for other education services.

At its meeting on Monday, the strategy committee agreed to introduce annual reviews into the three-year SEN budget to keep tabs on spending.

At the heart of the problem is the fact that the boroughs own special needs facilities, encompassing special schools, specialist opportunity bases in schools and provision in mainstream schools, are insufficient to cope with spiralling demand for services.

According to the learning for life department, parents desire to seek the best for their children combined with their right to appeal over the LEAs head to an SEN tribunal, has also played a part in increasing costs.

According to Mrs McIntosh: Each parent is, quite rightly, looking at the needs of their child, just as we, as a local

authority, are looking at the needs of all children we are looking after.

However, in the LEAs last

inspection, Ofsted highlighted value for money in SEN as an area for improvement.

The education watchdog also recommended greater co-ordination within the LEA on SEN and said statements of pupils needs should include specific advice on the best form of support for these.