SEND assessment demand up by 70% in West Sussex - as councils admit its one of the top funding pressures
A new survey from the Local Government Association's found councils across England will need to plug a £2 billion funding gap next year
Requests for SEND assessment have risen by 70% in West Sussex, the council leader says.
It comes as The Local Government Association says England's councils will soon see a funding black hole of over two billion pounds, as their survey finds eighty percent highlighting SEND services as one of their top cost pressures.
Council leader Paul Marshall says they have put a total of forty million pounds in investment towards SEND services in schools:
"Special educational needs, financially, is a passported figure from government.
"But the demand is far greater than the funds that are coming through.
"We're having to supplement that, in the hope at some point we can get that back."
He adds it means children with SEND can't always be accommodated in local schools:
"We would always work closely to try and keep them with their families.
"Sometimes, the ability to meet the needs of that child isn't available locally and it might have to go slightly further afield."
Cutbacks expected
The survey also lays bare the tough decisions facing councils with many expecting to have to make cutbacks to community services next year.
This could mean reduced hours of operation, reduced frontline staff numbers, longer waiting times, a reduced or less frequent level of service provision, and/or increased fees and charges.
Two thirds of councils say parks, green spaces will be affected alongside sport services, while almost 8 in 10 councils say services and support for disabled adults and/or older people are likely to face cutbacks.
Service cutbacks are also likely in services and support for children, young people and families.
The Local Government Association is calling on the Chancellor to take immediate action in the Autumn Budget to stabilise council finances and avoid another hammer blow being delivered to local services.
They want to ensure councils receive multi-year finance settlements and a cross-party review is set up into how the local government funding system should be reformed.