Surrey County Council has reached an agreement with the Department for Education that will see the DfE contribute £100m to Surrey’s budget for children with additional needs.
The council will receive £100m by 2026-27 to eliminate its high-needs funding deficit, with an initial payment of £40.5m before the end of this financial year.
In return, Surrey has agreed a number of reforms to its special needs and disabilities support (SEND), including implementing “strategies to further develop skills, expertise and capacity of school-based staff to support children with SEND in mainstream schools”.
Surrey council leader Tim Oliver said: “This is excellent news for SCC, our children, young people and their families across Surrey and for our efforts to ensure no one is left behind.”
“Safety-valve bailouts” were announced in nine councils last week, with support totalling more than £300m. Surrey had the highest level of support, followed by Dorset (£42m), Kirklees (£33m) and Merton (£28m).
Other bailouts were agreed at South Gloucestershire £25m), Rotherham (£18.9m), York (£17.1m) and Salford (£15.1m).
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