Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Learning detailing the SEND Programme. 

DECISION MADE: (CAB 22/23 35639) On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Learning, Cabinet agreed the following modified recommendations:

(i)  To approve the commencement of consultation, based on the option recommended in section 23. The option outlined is for the expansion and reconfiguration of Southampton Special Schools to create 278 additional spaces across 3 identified sites as per Table 1, section 23, subject to consultation and statutory school organisation decisions. 

(ii)  To agree a further report to be brought back to Cabinet prior to the commencement of the strategy. This report will detail the outcome of the consultation including any required amendments to the programme.

(iii)  To approve spend of £0.67m in 2023/24 for the next phase for the SEND programme to proceed with preparatory work as outlined in the report from General Fund capital. Should any of the schemes not proceed following the outcome of the consultation these costs will be abortive costs which will be charged to the General Fund revenue account. The risk of the capital programme not proceeding is very low after 3 years of extensive consultation and phase 1 feasibility work. Equally, the risks of not doing the work are also high as surplus places within the city are needed to lower costs and not having these will lead to extensive use of out of city and independent specialist provision, at much greater cost. It is unlikely the costs would fall in full to revenue, but if any cost does, we will need to rely on staff savings via more vacancies being managed including those from early help and young people services. This would in turn impact on early intervention services, ultimately increasing demand.

(iv)  To agree to the commencement of work prior to consultation closing, understanding that there is a risk of abortive costs should any scheme not proceed needing to be charged to revenue.