The Overview and Scrutiny Management Board met on Thursday, 30 October 2025, to discuss the Better Belonging Lincolnshire - Sufficiency Strategy for SEND and Alternative Provision 2025-2028 . The Board supported the recommendations within the strategy and agreed that their comments would be passed on to the Executive. The meeting also included a review of the work programmes for other scrutiny committees and the Board's own work programme.

Better Belonging Lincolnshire - Sufficiency Strategy for SEND and Alternative Provision 2025-2028

The Board considered the Better Belonging Lincolnshire - Sufficiency Strategy for SEND and Alternative Provision 2025-2028 [^1], a report presented by Katie Marsden, Head of Service for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and Eileen McMorrow, Programme Manager for SEND and Inclusion. The strategy aims to promote inclusion in mainstream education while strengthening specialist support for children and young people with SEND and those requiring alternative provision (AP).

The strategy proposes a £13.8 million capital investment over three years to expand capacity in special schools, create mainstream SEND hubs, and increase AP places. Key elements of the strategy include:

• Workforce Development: Enhancing the skills and capacity of the workforce across mainstream, early years, post-16, and special school settings to identify and support SEND needs early.
• Mainstream Pathway:
  • Enhanced Learning Provision (ELP): Providing small grants to mainstream schools to develop early intervention and support units for pupils with identified needs, without requiring an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.
  • Mainstream SEND Hubs: Creating small, adapted classrooms within mainstream schools to support approximately 10 children with specific needs who have an EHC plan. These hubs will be commissioned by the local authority and supported by a quality effectiveness team.
• Specialist Pathway: Expanding the existing special school estate. This includes creative repurposing of buildings to create post-16 specialist provision on separate sites, freeing up space in existing special schools for younger pupils.
• Alternative Provision (AP) Pathway: Developing areas within schools for children with neurodiverse needs to self-regulate when dysregulated, aiming to avoid permanent exclusions.

Councillor Martin Hill OBE raised concerns about whether the proposed £13 million government allocation was sufficient, suggesting that further investment could lead to significant savings. He specifically highlighted the Grantham project, which had been agreed by the previous council but had not yet proceeded, and urged for its swift commencement. Councillor Natalie Oliver, Executive Councillor for Children's Services, confirmed that the Grantham project was agreed in principle and that individual decision-making would follow design work, with a target for it to be built and operational by September 2027. She also stated that the previous administration had opportunities to deliver faster and that the current administration was committed to doing so.

Councillor Richard Davies questioned how the strategy accounted for variances in forecasting, particularly given national trends of underestimating demand for SEND provision. Heather Sandy, Executive Director of Children's Services, explained that the council was closely monitoring demand, which had increased significantly, and was using postcode analysis to ensure additional capacity was placed in the right areas. She also acknowledged the risk associated with forecasting, particularly regarding the net import of young people with SEND into the county.

Councillor Philip Dilks raised concerns about the quality of staff providing tuition in the proposed hubs and whether a SEND-qualified teacher would be a requirement. Heather Sandy responded that while physical space was important, the ethos of the school and staff training were paramount. She highlighted ongoing work to upskill staff and the ambition for national change in teacher training to ensure SEND expertise was embedded throughout schools.

Councillor Jimmy William Brookes asked about the invitation process for schools to host SEND hubs and the timescale for maintained schools compared to academies. Martin Smith, Assistant Director for Children's Education, clarified that all schools identified as having surplus accommodation were invited and that the process for maintained schools and academies differed in terms of timelines and decision-making.

Councillor Philip Roberts, Chairman of the Board, moved that the Board support the recommendations to the Executive and that their comments be shared. Councillor Martin Hill OBE seconded the motion, adding a specific request for the Executive to consider allocating additional council funds to the scheme during the budget-setting process, beyond the government allocation. This was noted and agreed to be included in the comments passed to the Executive.

Scrutiny Committee Work Programmes

The Board received reports outlining the work programmes of the other scrutiny committees: Adult Care and Public Health, Children's and Culture, Community Safety, Environment, Growth, Health, and Highways and Transport. The Board noted these programmes and agreed that any comments should be passed to the scrutiny officer.

Overview and Scrutiny Management Board Work Programme

The Board also reviewed its own work programme for the coming year. No amendments were reported, and the report was received and noted.

The meeting concluded, with Councillor Roberts noting it had been a very short meeting .