Decision details

The Cabinet considered the report of the Executive Director of Children’s Social Care and Education which provided details of:

1.    The monitoring position of the High Needs budget position on 1 February 2023 as per previous agreement to provide regular updates on:

·          The forecast expenditure to year end based on current / anticipated SEND support required during 2022/23; and

·          Provisional High Need budget forecast for the 2023/24 financial year based on announced funding levels and estimated High Needs demands.

2.    An update on the current Special Educational Needs (SEN) Review / Sufficiency Programme aimed at bringing High Needs expenditure pressures back into a more manageable financial position in the future.

The Chief Executive reported that the Government had published the SEND and Alternative Provision Plan Right Support, Right Place, Right Time document in March 2023 in response to the SEND Green paper published in March 2022, which proposed a number of reforms to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and the details of any Government resources to address the fundamental cost and demand issues faced by local authorities were awaited. The Cabinet was also advised that Sefton Council was one of the 55 local authorities in the second tranche of the Department for Education’s ‘safety valve’ and ‘Delivering Better Value in SEND’ Programme.

Decision Made:

Dedicated Schools Grant – High Needs Budget

(1)      the current forecast position relating to the 2022/23 High Needs Budget be noted:

(2)      the forecast accumulative deficit position of the High Needs Budget be noted:

(3)      the provisional potential deficit position facing the 2023/24 High Needs Budge be noted;

Update on the 2022/23 SEN Review / Sufficiency Programme

4)       the continuing work being undertaken through the SEN Review/

Sufficiency Programme be noted; and:

5)       the capital projects raised in Section 5.4 of the report be noted.

Reasons for the Decision:

To provide an update on the 2022/23 High Needs budget financial position and a provisional update of the potential deficit budget forecast against the High Needs budget in 2023/24.

To ensure that the SEND Review / Sufficiency programme can progress to provide sustainable and effective SEND support for Sefton pupils within the available resources allocated through the Dedicated Schools Grant – High Needs Block.

.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.