Funding for special education in 'dire straits' as Bedford council faces financial strain

Deirdre Murphy, National Education Union (NEU) representative, emphasised the “Catch-22 situation” when commending Bedford borough’s efforts while critiquing the broader underfunding by successive governments.

A report presented to the forum highlighted that, despite increased funding in the High Needs Block, growing demand for Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) and the rising complexity of needs are driving budget pressures.

The proposed budget forecasts a £3.31 million overspend against its allocation for 2025/2026, which will add to the existing year-end deficit for 2024/2025.

Chris Morris, chief officer for education, SEND, and schools infrastructure, acknowledged the challenge.

“Our High Needs Block funding in the DSG [Dedicated Schools Grant] is increased by 7.2 per cent next year, which is very welcome,” he said.

“However [the report] would show that the proposed budget expenditure for next year is a 16.5 per cent increase, which clearly places us in a position of facing down a further deficit this year as the increase in funding is not at the same level as our anticipated expenditure.”

Deirdre Murphy underscored the difficult choices faced by schools: “Taking the money from schools to meet the deficit is a very, very difficult choice to make.

“But at the same time, I think it’s important to understand that this situation has been led by years and years of deficits in the school budget by the Tory government.

“What we were hoping for is that the Labour government will actually begin to address that.

“Because school funding, particularly in the special education needs area, is in dire straits,” she said.

“I mean the very idea that there is a 2.8 per cent recommended increase in teachers’ pay which should be funded by the schools is going to leave schools in a pretty awful situation.

“It could lead to some schools having to make redundancies.

“I think that’s important to state, it’s important that it’s minuted, it is important that it’s recognised.

“And it’s also important to say that the borough here is trying its very best to spread the money that’s coming into the borough in the very best way possible.

“But it is insufficient in order to meet the needs in our schools.”