Funding runs out for children with special needs in Hartlepool - councillors writing to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson over £196,000 shortfall

It comes as Hartlepool Borough Council chiefs look to ensure funding is in place for 2020/21 for its “High Needs Block” – catering for young people in schools with special educational needs.

Earlier this year council chiefs applied to the Secretary of State to transfer £550,000 from the government funding allocated to its Schools Block, to its High Needs Block, to meet the costs.

The council had to make a similar request in 2019 which was approved by the Secretary of State.

This year however it was reported to the council Children’s Services Committee the Secretary of State rejected the proposal to transfer £550,000 and proposed an amendment to limit the transfer to 0.5%, equating to £329,000.

This leaves the council £196,000 short of its planned £11.381million budget requirement for its High Needs Block funding, with no reserves in the dedicated funding pot to address the deficit.

Hartlepool Schools’ Forum, made up of headteachers and school leaders, approved the proposal to transfer £0.329million in February 2020.

Councillors noted the forum had ‘no choice’ other than to accept after the Secretary of State rejected the initial request to transfer further funding.

Council officers noted the Secretary of State rejected the initial request due to Hartlepool already receiving a 16% increase in High Needs Block funding for 2020/21.

Officers said it was insufficient to meet the projected levels of demand for services to children and young people with special educational needs in 2020/21.

Councillors called for the committee to write to the Secretary of State explaining the increased demand.

Coun Brenda Harrison said: “He might think we’re at the top of the funding but he obviously hasn’t taken into account we’re also at the top of the needs.

“There are an extremely large amount of children with special needs in Hartlepool and he doesn’t seem to have taken that into account.”

Council chiefs will develop a deficit recovery plan to address both the carried over 2019/20 deficit and the potential 2020/21 deficit.

They will also continue to seek alternative methods of delivery.