City council's SEND plan could plug £9.9m deficit

A shake-up of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services in a city could help tackle nearly £10m of historical overspending.

Peterborough City Council has been told it is eligible for a government grant worth £9.9m to help reduce its SEND deficit following approval of its reform plan.

The three-year programme aims to provide support earlier and closer to home, while reducing reliance on education, health and care plans (EHCPs).

The council's cabinet has been asked to approve the changes when it meets on Tuesday.

The Department for Education approved Peterborough's SEND plan on 2 October, saying the council had developed a "clear and well-aligned vision".

This means the council is eligible for £9.9m to help tackle its SEND deficit, equivalent to 90% of the shortfall in its Dedicated Schools Grant, which funds school and early years provision.

The three-year programme was "designed to create a more inclusive, preventative and sustainable SEND system", the council said.

The plans would create six local SEND areas across Peterborough, bringing together schools, therapists, psychologists and family support services.

Each area would use the same referral and decision-making processes so children have equal access to support.

The proposals would see £3m a year devolved to groups of local schools from 2027.

The council predicted the number of EHCPs could fall from 3,399 next year to 2,947 by 2029, although it insisted no child would lose access to an education, health and care assessment where it was needed.

Without intervention, Peterborough is predicted to have a shortfall of 475 specialist school places by 2030, according to a report produced ahead of the meeting.

It said progress was already being made, with the plans to create new specialist places at Wittering, Eye and Southfields primary schools.

"The ambition is to create a system in which specialist advice, expertise and intervention are available much earlier, are easier to access and are delivered closer to where children and young people learn and live," the report said.

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