A DEVON County Council cabinet member is upset at the lack of detail in the government’s Spending Review linked to reforms of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.

Cllr Denise Bickley (Liberal Democrat, Sidmouth), cabinet member for SEND at Devon County Council, said: “It was very sad not to hear it mentioned at all and have it bundled in with [upcoming] reviews and plans.

“I am glad it will be dealt with and hope the forthcoming white paper will provide a scheme to fix the things that are going wrong, but that isn’t helping today, which is a shame.”

The Spending Review provides for a £3.25 billion transformation fund to contribute towards the “reform of the SEND system to improve pupil outcomes” – with £760 million between now and 2027/28.

“Details of the government’s intended approach to SEND reform will be set out in a schools white paper in the autumn,” the documents said.

Devon’s SEND service has built up a cumulative overspend of more than £130 million, and it has around 9,800 education, health and care plans (EHCPs), documents that specify additional help individual pupils need in school.

These cost an average of £17,000 per plan, according to figures from the county council earlier this year.

The overspend is allowed to be kept outside the council’s main finances, but rules allowing that expire in March unless they are renewed.

Cllr Bickley says the system is “already at breaking point” with mainstream schools being asked to take on more responsibilities, including children with additional needs, but usually without extra financial support.

She added the funding formula also disadvantages Devon, given its rural nature, meant its bill for transporting children to school is far higher than an urban council’s.

Cllr Bickley, who has only been in the cabinet post for a few weeks, said the council had, before she took on the role, sent feedback to the government about what it wanted to see in the SEND review.

“We want to help get what is needed and we need to work with all parts of the education system, as well as parents, to make sure the system works for children,” she added.

“Safeguarding money is important, as we cannot just write a cheque for the needs that there are, but then that means children and parents are not getting what they are entitled to, so it is a very hard balancing act.”

Last year, Devon County Council secured £95 million from the Department for Education through a Safety Valve scheme, which gave grants to councils with large SEND overspends.

The money is paid over eight years, and comes with strings attached, such as a requirement for councils to contribute cash to tackling the deficit and improving the service.