Agenda item

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Children and Family Services concerning the responses received to the publication of the Statutory Notice relating to the removal (closure) of the residential facilities at the Maplewell Hall Special School, and recommending the removal of those facilities with effect from September 2018.  A copy of the report, marked ‘5’, is filed with these minutes.

The Cabinet noted a letter from Mr. J. Brooks, Head teacher of Maplewell School, a response to this from the Director of Children and Family Services, and comments from Mr. S. D. Sheahan CC, copies of which are filed with these minutes.

With the agreement of the Chairman, Mrs D. Taylor CC spoke on the proposals.  Mrs Taylor said that the afterschool activities and residential provision were closely intertwined.  She suggested that the School might seek to continue the residential provision via other funding streams and asked the Cabinet to consider extending financial support until the spring of 2019 to enable this to be explored.

The Director of Children and Family Services presented the report and highlighted the rationale for the proposals.  In response to the Chairman, he explained to the meeting that Mr. Brooks’ letter had been redacted to remove references to a council officer, for the reasons stated in his reply to Mr. Brooks.  The Director added that despite many efforts to speak with the School, no formal response to the consultation had been received from its Head teacher or Governors (Mr. Brooks’ letter having been sent after the consultation had closed), nor had they put forward any cogent proposals as to how the residential facilities might continue with other funding.  If the School submitted a formal proposal in the future it would be considered.

Mr. Ould said that residential support should be provided only where identified in a child’s Education and Health Care Plan, and noted that parents were welcome to request a reassessment if they considered that their child did require additional support.

Mr. Rhodes said that it was not appropriate for High Needs Block (HNB) budget, which was under considerable pressure and already overspent, to be used for residential facilities at the School.

RESOLVED:

(a)      That the representations (objections) received to the Statutory Notice be noted;

(b)      That the findings and recommendations arising from the Internal Audit investigation of the funding arrangements for the residential facilities and the related afterschool activities that precede overnight stays for pupils be noted;

(c)      That the residential facilities at Maplewell Hall School be removed (closed) with effect from September 2018 in accordance with paragraph 8 of Schedule 2 to the Education and Inspections Act 2006;

(d)      That it be noted that the purpose of the Council’s High Needs Block is not to fund residential provision or social care needs, but to support the education of children with special educational needs and that the Block is under increasing pressure;

(e)      That further support be given to those pupils currently attending the School who have made use of the residential facilities and their families in the period leading up to the closure;

(f)       That in response to the request to delay closure, Mrs Taylor be advised that determining to proceed with the proposal set out in the Statutory Notice does not prevent the School producing a business case to maintain the residential facilities, although it is re-confirmed that no pupils placed at the School have residential provision named in their Education Health and Care Plans.

(KEY DECISION)

REASONS FOR DECISION:

Although there have been some objections to the Statutory Notice proposals, the overriding majority of the reasons put forward to keep the residential facilities open do not relate directly to an educational need.  There are no pupils at Maplewell Hall who have been assessed as needing educational residential provision as stated in their Education Health and Care Plans.

The Internal Audit report indicates that a significant proportion of funding provided to the School for the residential facilities has not been used for that purpose. 

There is significant pressure on the Council’s HNB budget which funds the residential provision.  This budget is solely for the purpose of providing education for pupils with special educational needs (SEN).  It should not be used to fund children’s social care needs, including respite care or short breaks.

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

Removal of the residential funding will not affect afterschool activities as these are operated separately by the School, supported by parental contributions.