Suffolk County Council agrees £18.6 million spending to create hundreds of special needs school places

Hundreds of school places for children with special needs are set to be created after an authority approved £18.6 million spending plans.

Cabinet members at the county council discussed how to best spend the remaining £18.6 million of the authority's special educational needs and disability (SEND) capital program.

Cllr Andrew Reid, the lead for SEND, told other cabinet members the delivery of social, emotional and mental health units costing £8 million should be abandoned due to lack of interest.

Instead, he put forward proposals to reallocate the money in order to deal with ballooning demand.

He said: "We see first-hand the impact that with the right provision in the right place and at the right time, what that can do for our children and young people and their families.”

Cllr Reid proposed spending £3 million in refurbishing existing spaces within mainstream schools to provide between 100 and 140 new specialist placements by the start of the academic year in September.

A further £12 million would be used to develop as many as six extensions or satellites of existing special schools such as Riverwalk, in Mayfield Road, Bury St Edmunds, to create between 160 and 240 new placements in total.

The remaining £3.6 million would be earmarked for further SEND provision.

Cllr Reid said: “Our absolute aim is to continue with the improvements that we have started to make — getting SEND better is the number one priority for us.”

Plans for the recently announced £9.4 million in Government cash meant for SEND care, he added, would be revealed in 'due course'.

During the meeting, Cllr Inga Lockington prompted members on the struggles high school children who may be about to leave the system without benefiting from the cash.

She said: “They really need it before it’s too late, before they go out in the big world which is difficult enough for people to get through — there really are people who desperately need help.”

Addressing this, Cllr Beccy Hopfensperger, the lead for adult care, stressed her team worked closely with the children and young people's (CYP) department.

She added: “It’s really important to have that smooth transition and prepare those people for the life challenges and to experience the same opportunities that anyone should be afforded to.”