(UK) Wales: Local councils call on govt for extra $452M to help with SPED costs
- Jul 29
- 2 min read
Calls have been made by Neath Port Talbot Council for consequential funding to be passed on to Welsh councils to help deal with pressures for additional learning needs (ALN) demand.
Members of the local authority backed a motion at full council in July asking that an extra £340m [$452M] worth of UK Government funding relating to additional special education needs spending in England be passed directly to local councils and schools in Wales.
Consequential funding is an adjustment mechanism used by the UK Government to make sure when extra money is spent on public services in England a fair share is automatically given to governments in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. . . .
While the budget promised to deliver £294m [$391M] of extra funding to reduce NHS waiting times, expand childcare, and extend free school meals, with none of the consequential funding allocated to respond to the pressures caused by rising ALN demand in Wales opposition members refused to back the plans.
In a bid to pass the vote in Cardiff Bay Plaid made an offer to Welsh Labour which would have see £120m [$160M] allocated over the next three years to ALN pupils but Labour had been holding out for £100m [$133M] to be spent immediately.
A Welsh Labour spokesman said there were more than 2,400 pupils with additional learning needs in Neath Port Talbot ahead of the motion being put forward by local councillor Josh Tuck.
The Baglan representative's motion noted that funding for ALN provision was an enormous budgetary pressure for councils with more than 60% of schools in some areas currently carrying negative balances. . . .
During a lengthy back and forth debate Independent councillor Simon Knoyle said from his position as cabinet member for finance they needed to achieve as much funding as possible in to the authority. . . .
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