Freedom of information response

Budgeting

Publication date: 
Tuesday 6 August 2024
Request: 

1. What is the name of your local authority?

2. How much was spent on your high needs budget by the end of the financial year 2023/24? Please add the value below

3. What was your original allocated high needs budget for 2023/24?

4. How much are you expecting to have spent on your high needs budget by the end of the financial year 2024/25? Please add the value below                                                           

5. What is your original allocated high needs budget for 2024/25?

6. Have you sought permission from the Department for Education to move more than 0.5% from the DSG to high needs in the current financial year 2024/25? Please indicate YES / NO

7. If YES, was permission granted? Please indicate YES / NO

8. Has the council signed up to the Safety Valve programme or any other government scheme to reduce its SEND deficit? If so, how much money has been offered to the council?                     

8. a) YES / NO 

8. b) Name of scheme (if YES)

8. c) Value of scheme to the council

9. Has the council been part of the Delivering Better Value in SEND programme? Please indicate YES / NO

10. Please tell us about any other ways the council is looking to reduce pressure on its high needs budget and add any further comments that would help us understand those pressures on your high needs budget.

Response: 
  1. What is the name of your local authority?

Thurrock Council

  1. How much was spent on your high needs budget by the end of the financial year 2023/24? Please add the value below

£37.178m

  1. What was your original allocated high needs budget for 2023/24?

£37.368m

  1. How much are you expecting to have spent on your high needs budget by the end of the financial year 2024/25?

£41.768m                                                         

  1. What is your original allocated high needs budget for 2024/25?

£39.083m

  1. Have you sought permission from the Department for Education to move more than 0.5% from the DSG to high needs in the current financial year 2024/25?

NO

  1. If YES, was permission granted? Please indicate YES / NO

N/A

  1. Has the council signed up to the Safety Valve programme or any other government scheme to reduce its SEND deficit? If so, how much money has been offered to the council?  

NO 

  1. Has the council been part of the Delivering Better Value in SEND programme?

YES

  1. Please tell us about any other ways the council is looking to reduce pressure on its high needs budget and add any further comments that would help us understand those pressures on your high needs budget.

Increasing the ability of mainstream schools to provide day to day support for children with SEND (e.g., staff skills, upskilling to reduce need for EHCP)

Improving the access mainstream schools and children have to wider system resources (e.g., Outreach support)

Increasing parent carer confidence in the ability of mainstream schools to meet their child’s needs (e.g., Quality of communication with parents, involvement in support planning)

Request reference:
FOI 14018