Decision

That the allocation of
£151,900 from the Local Authority’s Higher Needs
Provision Capital Allocations (HNCPA) be approved for the
re-provision of 7 LA commissioned EOTAS places.

Reasons for the decision

·      
The Local Authority (LA) has a balance of approximately £2m
uncommitted in its 5 year HNCPA
allocation.

·      
The Education Act 1996 sets out a statutory duty on LAs to secure
sufficient school places for children and young people with special
educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as well as those
requiring Alternative Provision (AP). This includes post 16
education.

·      
To meet the capital costs associated with the provision of new
places or improvement of existing provision for:

·      
Children and young people with complex needs, who have Education,
Health and Care plans (EHCPs), and where appropriate other children
and young people with SEND who do not have an EHCP.

·      
Pupils who require alternative provision (including children in AP
settings without an EHCP).

·      
To mitigate against the ongoing costs and the needs of children and
young people with EHCPs, SEND or requiring Alternative
Provision.

Alternative options considered

Not proceeding –
the LA has a contract with YMCA South Devon to provide EOTAS
places. Not supporting the relocation of the service would put
those places at risk. 
 
There is not an option
to spend this funding on any other Council priorities; the funding
is ring fenced specially for developing or re-providing SEND
provision.  If the funding is not
utilised by the LA or is spent in a manner that does not meet the
terms and conditions of the allocation, it would be clawed back by
central Government.