Issue - meetings

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Children and Family Services which sought approval to consult on the removal of the residential facilities from September 2018 at the Maplewell Hall Special School in Woodhouse Eaves.

Mr. Ould CC said that the Council continued to look very carefully at how it spent its money and was forced to consider whether it could justify financing services for children with special needs which were not identified as necessary in their personalised Education Health Care Plan.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the current position regarding the use of the residential facilities at the Maplewell Hall Special School be noted;

(b)       That the commencement of informal/pre-consultation, as part of the statutory prescribed alterations process, on a proposal to remove (close) the residential facilities with effect from the start of the school year in September 2018 be approved;

(c)        That a further report be submitted to the Cabinet on 24 November 2017 on the outcomes of the consultation referred to in (b) above in order to determine the next steps.

(KEY DECISION)

REASONS FOR DECISION:

There are no pupils placed at Maplewell Hall who are assessed as having a need for residential provision stated in their Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP).

There is significant pressure on the Council’s High Needs Block (HNB) budget which funds special needs provision. The closure of the residential facilities will allow savings to be made to the HNB budget and funding to be directed to other areas of increased demand where appropriate.

The closure of the residential facilities in September 2018 will allow for phased removal and adequate measures of support to be put in place (where appropriate) for families/pupils affected by the change.

Following the statutory process and undertaking consultation on the proposals is in keeping with the Council’s corporate standards and the requirements of the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013.