Decision

That the allocation of
up to £700,000 from the Local Authority’s Higher Needs
Provision Capital Allocation (HNPCA) be approved for works at Combe
Pafford School to address accommodation and site requirements to
enhance the provision available and support the redesignation of
the school from MLD to ASC.

Reasons for the decision

The Local Authority
(LA) has a balance of approximately £1.9m uncommitted in its
5-year HNCPA allocation.
 

The need for ASC
places in Torbay is increasing with ASC at secondary age being the
fastest growing area of need.  The LA
require new places for September 2026. 

 

Combe Pafford School
is well established, with ASC pupils already in
attendance.  The school has the
facilities, experience and expertise to meet the continuing demand
for ASC provision in Torbay.

 

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).

 

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 to secure sufficient school places for children and
young people with SEND as well as those requiring Alternative
Provision.
There is not an option
to spend this funding on any other Council priorities; the funding
is ring fenced specially for developing 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.