(UK) Lincs: Council now forecasts $34M SPED overspend
- The end of childhood
- 12 hours ago
- 2 min read
Dec 4, 2025, Lincolnshire World: Council forecasts £25.8 million [$34M] overspend from special educational needs pressures
Education chiefs now say that they expect to spend more than £25 million over budget on schools in Lincolnshire due to the demand of special educational needs.
Members of Lincolnshire County Council’s executive heard that the authority is predicting a £25.8 million [$34M] overspend on its schools budget by the end of this financial year.
This is an increase from the county council’s previous forecast in October of a £22.3 million [$30m] overspend.
Coun Natalie Oliver (Reform UK), portfolio holder for children’s services, told members at a meeting on Tuesday, December 2, that the county council was working hard to address the issue.
She said: “The pressures and the demands that we are seeing in children’s services are significant and also national.
“As officers have explained, we continue to do all we can to mitigate those costs, such as the ambitious Better Belonging strategy and also bringing in placements in terms of our short-stay children’s homes.
“It is important to recognise that we do deliver high-quality services at some of the lowest costs in the country. . . .
In June, the county council announced that it would be spending more than £7 million [$9m] to create 13 special educational needs hubs at schools across Lincolnshire.
The authority said the new hubs are expected to be completed by autumn 2026 and will create an additional 210 places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Michelle Grady, assistant director of strategic finance at the county council, told members of the executive that forecast overspend was “driven by the pressures on the high needs block” in Lincolnshire and that this remained an issue for many other councils across the country.
She went on to say that the overspend is separate from the county council’s general fund meaning that it “shouldn’t impact on the other finances of the council”.
- Lincolnshire Conservatives have criticised the Reform leadership of the council, claiming that major reductions have been “quietly revealed” at a recent Overview and Scrutiny meeting, “buried deep within lengthy finance reports”.
The opposition group claim that the Reform administration have delayed, cancelled or rephased spending across core frontline services, including Children’s Services. . . .
Speaking after the meeting, Conservative group leader, Coun Richard Davies claimed the cuts are not being announced openly, adding: “They are creeping out in obscure finance tables under scrutiny. Residents deserve honesty."
He said: "Delaying over £12 million [$16m] of SEND capital does absolutely nothing for the children who need places now. These decisions hit statutory services and create real pressures for families and schools."
Comments