Agenda item

The Cabinet Member(s) will update the Panel on any relevant issues. Panel members may ask questions on the update provided.

Councillor Manda Rigby (Cabinet Member for Communications and Community) addressed the Panel in the absence of Councillor Paul May (Cabinet Member for Children’s Services) and provided updates on the items.

Cabinet Member Update and SEND Capital Funding Announcement

She explained that the government have made a significant announcement regarding high needs capital funding for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The government has committed at least £3 billion nationally over four years, expected to create at least 50,000 new SEND places in England. She added that locally, this supports plans for two new free schools — Green Ways Academy (special school) and Sulis Academy (alternative provision) — to be delivered on the former Culverhay site in Bath. The funding will also enable further exploration of SEND capacity within existing schools and aligns with the council’s “Safety Valve” programme commitments.

She stated that the council thanks the Department for Education for its continued support and looks forward to improving SEND provision in our community.

Councillor Liz Hardman queried the status of free school projects, referencing reports of a national pause.

Councillor Rigby confirmed that the recent government letter explicitly allows the release of funds for these projects, ending the previous pause.

Councillor David Harding asked about reducing delays in completing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

The Director of Education & Safeguarding explained that increased team capacity and training should improve timeliness but said that quality would not be sacrificed for speed. He added that interim support is being provided where possible.

Kevin Burnett raised concerns about the certainty of funding and asked if the council had considered “invest to save” options should government funding fall through.

Councillor Rigby confirmed confidence in the funding but noted that detailed implications were still being worked through.

Councillor Lesley Mansell asked about preparations for the upcoming SEND inspection, evidence gathering and workforce sustainability.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding replied that the Local Area Inclusion Partnership’s self-evaluation has been carried out and that it was known where progress is needed to be made. He added that regular performance monitoring is carried out and there has been success in stabilizing SEND team staffing.

Councillor Joanna Wright questioned the effectiveness of communication with SEND families and spoke of the impact of EHCP delays.

The Director of Children’s Services & Education acknowledged communication challenges and outlined plans to improve transparency and accessibility, including joint work with the Parent & Carer Forum and articles within their newsletters. She added that advice lines are available for those needing more immediate support.

She stated that there is a national challenge regarding EHCP delivery, not just within B&NES and reiterated the importance of the quality of the plans.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding said that future general information regarding SEND for parents and carers could be shared with the Panel.

The Chair asked for an update on EHCPs to be provided at the March Panel meeting.

Councillor Wright asked if figures could be provided to the Panel for the numbers of pupils that have had to move schools or withdraw from mainstream education due to EHCP issues. She asked also for funding information for EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School) which provide learning outside of mainstream schools for children with an EHCP.

Councillor Bharat Pankhania asked whether the 20-week EHCP statutory timescale could be reduced. 

The Director of Education & Safeguarding explained that 20 weeks is the statutory maximum, but efforts are ongoing to improve speed of delivery and sufficiency planning.

Councillor Liz Hardman raised the issues of School Streets and Home-to-School transport and the difficulty in that they overlap with other Panels within the council.

Councillor Rigby replied that the rollout of School Streets was ongoing and that all Primary Schools had been asked if they wanted to take part in the project. She added that the selected areas would be subject to a six-month trial period, prior to any permanent decision. She confirmed that a public consultation had taken place and suggested that talks about Panel overlaps be undertaken at the meeting between Chairs and Vice-Chairs.

Councillor Hardman asked if an update could be provided on the status of Charlton House.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding explained that the decision to convert the site was taken in January 2024, but that the subsequent delay had been due to no academy wishing to pursue the running of the proposed residential school. He added that it has now become necessary to deliver this as two projects on one site.

The Director of Children’s Services & Education informed the Panel that one project will deliver a 30-place special school, and a second will deliver two small children's homes (4 places each) on the site. She said that the process was ongoing and that an open day had been held last week as part of the consultation.

Councillor George Leach asked what level of savings were hoped to be achieved from this initiative and what communications with the local public have been carried out.

The Director of Children’s Services & Education replied that regular communication streams with the local public have happened and are planned to take place. She added that many views have been received so far.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding added that the project would seek to save the council money on school placements but could not provide a definitive figure at this stage. He added that the project would also seek to reduce out of county placements.

Councillor Mansell referred to the matter of Free School Meal (FSM) enrolment and asked if figures were known by ward for those families that opted out of receipt.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding replied that this information was not retained on this occasion, but would ask colleagues in Welfare if this could be possible in a future similar exercise.

The Chair asked if FSM take up remains the trigger for schools to receive extra Pupil Premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding replied that it was but added that, under recently announced government plans, family income data will replace free school meals eligibility as the trigger for pupil premium and other deprivation funding for schools.

Kevin Burnett asked if an update could be provided on transport associated with the Hospital Education and Reintegration Service (HERS).

The Director of Education & Safeguarding replied that they were looking to make efficiencies within this area and said that it was cheaper for a tutor to travel to a pupil’s home, but this has difficulties in then enabling children to move back into a school environment.

The Chair asked if the pupil premium announcement would affect FSM Ever 6 which is the government’s Pupil Premium designation for students who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the past six years, even if they no longer qualify.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding replied that he had not heard of any related changes to this process.

Councillor Mansell referred to Home to School Transport and asked what measures are in place to address single use taxis, independent travel training plans and the provision of personal budgets.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding replied that they were always seeking to see if routes to school can be joined up for pupils attending the same site. He added that he felt that the council has a good rate of personal budgets in place and said that they work hard to promote independent travel training but that this was a challenge in rural areas.

The Chair, on behalf of the Panel, thanked Councillor Rigby for attending to present the update and for the replies she and officers had provided.