Millions of pounds of council's SEND debts being wiped

The government has agreed to write-off hundreds of millions of pounds of a council's debts.

It is part of the £5bn Higher Needs Stability Grant to councils that have overspent on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

BCP (Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole) Council will have more than £165m of its SEND debt wiped - but accepts it has to improve its provision in future.

Campaigners fear that a move towards greater inclusion included in BCP's Improvement Plan, which has been approved by the government, means more children with special needs will be sent to mainstream schools.

For years the provision of education for children with SEND has almost bankrupted BCP Council.

Huge historic debts accrued, a succession of Ofsted inspections said "must do better" and some families have been compensated for failings in coming up with a workable plan for affected children.

Cllr Richard Burton, portfolio holder for children and young people, said news that the government has approved the councils' plan for improvement and will wipe that debt of £165m is extremely welcome.

"That is a huge relief because that historic debt has built up over time," he said.

"We're still getting a debt, we're still having to pay some off, but ninety percent being paid off is a huge relief."

Rachel Filmer, from Poole, has twin ten-year-old boys, Jacob and Joshua, that are both disabled.

She has been campaigning for SEND families for years and recently handed in a petition to Downing Street with more than a 130,000 signatures.

"The government is giving councils funding to create what they call inclusion bases in mainstream. Those could be a fantastic thing for some children who need a little bit of extra support during the school day", she said.

"Our fear is that there will be children who really cannot cope in a mainstream school, who's needs really require a specialist school but they may end up in one of these bases and never really leave the base, socialise with other children or participate in that school at all."

Bournemouth East Labour MP Tom Hayes welcomed the news of additional funding, as well as clearing the historic debt which he said is seriously impacting the council.

"The council could not have proceeded with that amount of deficit", he said.

"Now it's about building a more inclusive education system, giving every child in Bournemouth the best start in life".

Hayes said that parents of SEND children need not worry that many will be catered for in mainstream schools.

"I've spoken with so many parents and families over recent years, and they've got one priority which is the care and eductaion of their children," he said.

"Where a child can be supported in a mainstream educational setting, and they need that extra bit of support, I think most families would agree that we should give that extra support, and help children to thrive in schools."

A spokesperson from the Department For Education said the Higher Needs Sustainability Grant is "backing schools to improve inclusion, raising the number of specialists on the ground and rolling out comprehensive training for all teachers".

BCP Council knows and accepts that it must improve its SEND provision in future.

Cllr Richard Herrett said that won't happen overnight: "We have been improving. We're not there yet, as there's still a lot to do.

"Our last Ofsted inspection did say we were inconsistent. Striving to get better is something that we always want to do, bur when it comes down to it, children and young people are the important thing here."