Responding to the Government’s announcement on the national
funding formula for schools, Cllr , Chair of the LGA’s
Children and Young People Board, said:
“The Local Government Association has long called for fairer
funding for all schools and for councils to be able to work with
schools to set budgets that reflect local need. We are therefore
pleased that the Government has recognised the important role
councils can play in the introduction of the national funding
formula by giving councils and schools the flexibility to set
budgets locally. This will help schools and local areas adapt to
the new formula in the long term.
“Councils have been concerned for some time about the growing
funding pressures facing support for children with special
educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It is therefore right
that the Government has allowed councils to retain the ability to
make additional funding available, with the agreement of schools,
to meet the rising demand and pressures for SEND support.
“However, asking schools to meet the shortfall in central
government funding for this vulnerable group is not sustainable
in the long term, particularly given the huge pressures facings
schools’ core budgets.
“Councils are calling on government to launch a fundamental
review of high needs funding in order to ensure we meet the needs
of our most vulnerable children.”
