Issue - meetings

On a motion from Councillor Dine Romero, seconded by Councillor Tim Ball, it was

RESOLVED unanimously that

Council notes:

1.  The serious concerns raised by parents and teachers in Bath and North East Somerset regarding school funding.

2.  The particular concerns around funding for young people with a special educational need or disability. There are over 4,200 children and young people locally either receiving SEND Support in mainstream schools or having an Education Health and Care Plan, with the number of EHC Plans or Statements having risen by 58% between January 2015 and January 2018. SEND services are under particular pressure due to a combination of growing demand and complexity of need; rising costs for specialist provision; the pressure on places in the outstanding special schools in B&NES due to the number of children being placed here by other Local Authorities; and the under-funding of the positive SEND Reforms introduced by government. Sufficient funding is vital to ensure that children are able to access the specialist education and support that they need in order to thrive.

3.  The recent meeting for parents and carers, which was organised by the National Association of Head Teachers and the National Education Union, and at which the massive pressure on school budgets locally were highlighted.

4.  That whilst B&NES schools remain under pressure, they have received the best funding settlement in the country over the last two years at 7.8%, this reflects that our schools are funded above the regional average and just below the national average.

Council resolves to:

5.  Back local children, parents, carers, teachers, other schools staff and the LGA who are campaigning for better funding for our schools and education system.

6.  Instruct the Leader of Council to write to the Secretary of State for Education and to the MPs for Bath and North East Somerset highlighting the impact of funding pressures locally and calling for additional funding to be made available for schools and particularly for SEND services.

[Notes:

1.  The above resolution contains suggested wording from Councillor Paul May, comprising resolution 4, and the words ‘and the LGA’ in resolution 5, which were accepted into the substantive motion by the mover and seconder.]