Agenda item

This report provides an update on the Council’s progress in the Department for Education’s Delivering Better Value (DBV) programme. The programme is designed to provide dedicated support and funding to help local authorities with substantial deficit issues in their high needs block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) to reform their high needs systems.

The Director of Education and Skills and Head of Service – School Places, Funding & Admissions presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix ‘C’ to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The report provided an update on the Council’s progress in the Department for Education’s Delivering Better Value (DBV) programme. The programme was designed to provide dedicated support and funding to help local authorities with substantial deficit issues in their high needs block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) to reform their high needs systems.

BCP Council was one of 55 LA’s participating in the first cohort of the programme. This was set against significant concern about the escalating deficit in the Dedicated Schools Grant with low reserves.   The DBV programme would be used to validate the direction of travel of the Council’s Written Statement of Action and High Needs Block Recovery Plans, the relative prioritisation of initiatives and workstreams and the feasibility of implementation plans and associated timelines. In essence, the programme would help BCP Council deliver savings and support the Council’s deficit recovery.

The Committee discussed the report and comments were made, including:

• The Chair started by providing an overview of the report to the Committee
• In response to a query, it was noted that this would not address the entire deficit but would reduce the growth by £29 million and would support the local SEND improvement work
• In response to an update request regarding the green paper from Government recognising the financial difficulties faced and the two free school bids, the Committee was advised the service was waiting to hear regarding both
• In response to a query about the aim of getting more SEND students in to mainstream provision, the Committee was advised that pupils with an EHCP would be supported by funding which had been increased following recent consultation to allow up to the employment of a full time Teaching Assistant
• In response to a query regarding Opportunity four detailed in the report regarding the Annual Review Backlog of approximately 1800, the Committee was advised of the efficiencies and savings which would be created if those were removed.
• The Committee was reassured of the proposed use of a graduated response to reduce the need for full EHCPs and how that would happen was detailed.
• In response to a query regarding the LA costs of potentially defending any appeals regarding EHCPs, the Committee was advised the employment of legal officers had significantly reduced the cost of mediation and the number of appeals.

The Chair summarised as follows:

• Recap of overview
• Green paper and Free schools update on timescales
• Annual review backlog
• Any impact on schools and how it could be mitigated
• Appeals

RESOLVED that the Committee note the findings and outputs identified following the Council’s completion of all DVB programme modules, the progress of the SEND programme of expansion and the estimated return on investment/savings or benefits as set out in the presentation attached at Appendix 1 to the report.