Taxis to school are ‘lifeline’ for children with special needs but councils face ‘unsustainable’ transport costs
England’s largest councils have told Sky News they’re facing a “simply unsustainable” funding crisis due to the soaring cost of transporting children with special needs to school.
More money is now being spent on taxis and minibuses for SEND (Special Educational Needs or Disability) pupils by county councils than on family, youth and sure start services combined.
School transport budgets are being described by the County Councils Network as “increasingly out of control”.
Some even face future bankruptcy if expenditure on special needs school transport stays the same, without intervention, it said.
It is also warning some “discretionary services”, such as libraries and recycling centres, may have to be cut.
A report by the Isos Partnership, released early to Sky News, predicts the cost of sending children with educational needs to school will top £1.1bn in the next five years.
That figure would mean costs tripling over a decade from £397m in 2018/19 to £1.1bn in 2027/28.
The number of pupils eligible for free school transport has increased by 120% in the same period from 58,000 to 129,000.
The increase in cost is driven by the “explosion” in the number of children receiving Education, Health and Care Plans (ECHPs), which set out support needed including transport.
ECHPs are legal documents that all councils must adhere to.
The number of children on these plans has doubled in eight years from 105,000 to 230,000 this year.
The same number of SEND students are also now using cars and taxis as they are minibuses to get to school.
Councillor Tim Oliver, chair of the County Councils Network, describes the rising costs of transport as the “single biggest pressure” facing councils.
He told Sky News the current situation is “simply not sustainable”.
“The consequences are that if we can’t balance the budgets, then we will have to stop other services,” he said.
“It’s as simple as that… the discretionary services, so technically that will be the libraries, some councils may have to close their libraries or shorten their hours.
“We will have to look at the cost of the recycling centres.
“The statutory responsibilities are to look after vulnerable people and vulnerable children, social care responsibilities, everything else broadly are discretionary services so all of those potentially will be at risk.”
The County Councils Network is warning of a £4bn funding deficit over the next three years.
One in 10 councils say they are at risk of insolvency this year, rising to four in 10 in 2024/25 and six in 10 by 2025/26.
Council leaders are calling on the government to step in and provide an “emergency injection of resources” in next week’s autumn statement mini-budget.
Lyndsay Critchlow says the money to get her two sons to school is a ‘lifeline’
Lyndsay Critchlow’s two sons have been diagnosed with Autism and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).
Both Harvey, eight, and William, 10, attend a special school around a 40-minute drive away from home.
Their parents can’t drive, and so the boys are transported to classes using a private taxi and personal assistant paid for by the council.
It costs around £17,000 a year.
“It is a lot of money,” Lyndsay says, “but there was nowhere around here that we could find that could meet their needs”.
“Their anxiety is the lowest I’ve ever seen… it’s a lifeline”.
Harvey Critchlow’s brother, William, also attends a special school
Eight-year-old Harvey says he really enjoys going to school now “because they understand me more”.
The boys’ father, Philip Critchlow, also describes the difference in his sons: “Two years ago they were completely different children than what you see today.
“Quite literally, they were quiet and inattentive, maybe saying the odd thing.
“And it was heartbreaking to see. Now they get to be children again.
“And that’s worth more than anything.”
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A government spokesperson said: “Every child should have access to a high-quality education, including those with special educational needs.
“Councils are responsible for providing the right support for children in their areas, including school transport.
“Our published SEND and AP improvement plan sets out how we will make sure all children with special needs and disabilities receive the support they need.
“We are also putting significant investment into the high needs budget, which is increasing by a further £440m for 2024-25, bringing total funding to £10.5bn – an increase of over 60% since 2019-20.”
A 14-year-old boy has died and a 13-year-old boy is in a critical condition after getting into difficulty in the River Tyne.
Emergency teams launched a large rescue operation yesterday afternoon after receiving reports two boys had got into trouble in the water near Ovingham, Northumberland.
One of the boys, aged 13, was rescued from the river and taken to hospital, where he remains “in a critical condition”, Northumbria Police said in a statement on Sunday morning.
Ovingham Bridge on the River Tyne connects Ovingham with Prudhoe. Pic: Google Street View
Police cordon set up near Prudhoe, across the River Tyne from Ovingham
A huge search, which involved the police, ambulance, fire and mountain rescue services, then continued as crews raced to find the second boy.
“Sadly, the 14-year-old’s body was later found in the water and he was pronounced dead at the scene,” police said.
A police cordon was set up across a footpath near Prudhoe, across the River Tyne from Ovingham
Chief Superintendent Helena Barron, of Northumbria Police, said it was an “absolutely tragic incident”.
She added: “Our thoughts are with the families of both boys at this difficult time as we continue to support them.
“A number of agencies were involved in the incident and their support was hugely appreciated.
“It is with great sadness that we could not provide a more positive update.”
Police said the parents of both boys are being supported by specially-trained officers.
Billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has told Sky News that Britain is ready for a change of government after scolding the Conservatives over their handling of the economy and immigration after Brexit.
While insisting his petrochemicals conglomerate INEOS is apolitical, Sir Jim backed Brexit and spent last weekend with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at Manchester United – the football club he now runs as minority owner.
“I’m sure Keir will do a very good job at running the country – I have no questions about that,” Sir Jim said in an exclusive interview.
“There’s no question that the Conservatives have had a good run,” he added. “I think most of the country probably feels it’s time for a change. And I sort of get that, really.”
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Man Utd ‘is a very big challenge’
Sir Jim was a prominent backer of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum but now has issues with how Brexit was delivered by Tory prime ministers.
“Brexit sort of unfortunately didn’t turn out as people anticipated because… Brexit was largely about immigration,” Sir Jim said.
“That was the biggest component of that vote. People were getting fed up with the influx of the city of Southampton coming in every year. I think last year it was two times Southampton.
“I mean, no small island like the UK could cope with vast numbers of people coming into the UK.
“I mean, it just overburdens the National Health Service, the traffic service, the police, everybody.
“The country was designed for 55 or 60 million people and we’ve got 70 million people and all the services break down as a consequence.
“That’s what Brexit was all about and nobody’s implemented that. They just keep talking about it. But nothing’s been done, which is why I think we’ll finish up with the change of government.”
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Sir Jim’s mission to succeed at ‘the one challenge the UK has never brought home’
UK needs to get ‘sharper on the business front’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated an election is due this year but Monaco-based Sir Jim is unimpressed by the Conservatives’ handling of the economy.
“The UK does need to get a bit sharper on the business front,” he said. “I think the biggest objective for the government is to create growth in the economy.
“There’s two parts of the economy, there’s the services side of the economy and there’s the manufacturing side. And the manufacturing, unfortunately, has been sliding away now for the last 25 years.
“We were very similar in scale to Germany probably 25 years ago.
“But today we’re just a fraction of where Germany is and I think that isn’t healthy for the British economy… particularly when you think the north of England is very manufacturing based, and that talks to things like energy competitiveness, it talks to things like, why do you put an immensely high tax on the North Sea?
Analysis: Labour on ‘smoked salmon offensive’ – and it’s working
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments carry weight because of who he is.
A billionaire business boss and Brexit backer who employs thousands of people should be naturally allied to the Tories.
Instead he seems to be calling time on them. Symbolically, that matters.
But what’s more important is that this mirrors what appears to be going on in business more broadly.
Labour has made a concerted effort to woo the private sector, with senior figures embarking on a “smoked salmon offensive” of breakfast meetings with top executives. And it’s working.
Commerce events held by Labour now pack out as firms pick up on the electoral direction of travel. Tensions still exist though.
Labour plans for a strengthening of workers’ rights and union power unnerve some.
Then there’s the persistent worry about the wider instincts of the party towards the commercial sector.
Or to put it another way, there are plenty of people in Labour that think someone like Sir Jim – a billionaire petro-chemical boss based in tax-free Monaco – is not part of the solution, but part of the problem.
“That just disincentivises people from finding hydrocarbons in the North Sea, in energy.
“And what we need is competitive energy. So I mean, in America, in the energy world, in the oil and gas world, they just apply a corporation tax to the oil and gas companies, which is about 30%. And in the UK we’ve got this tax of 75% because we want to kill off the oil and gas companies.
“But if we don’t have competitive energy, we’re not going to have a healthy manufacturing industry. And that just makes no sense to me at all. No.”
‘We’re apolitical’
Asked about INEOS donating to Labour, Sir Jim replied: “We’re apolitical, INEOS.
“We just want a successful manufacturing sector in the UK and we’ve talked to the government about that. It’s pretty clear about our views.”
Sir Jim was keener to talk about the economy and politics than his role at struggling Manchester United, which he bought a 27.7% stake in from the American Glazer family in February – giving him an even higher business profile.
Old Trafford stadium in Manchester. Pic: AP
Push for stadium of the North
He is continuing to push for public funds to regenerate Old Trafford and the surrounding areas despite no apparent political support being forthcoming. Sir Keir was hosted at the stadium for a Premier League match last weekend just as heavy rain exposed the fragility of the ageing venue.
“There’s a very good case, in my view, for having a stadium of the North, which would serve the northern part of the country in that arena of football,” Sir Jim said. “If you look at the number of Champions League the North West has won, it’s 10. London has won two.
“And yet everybody from the North has to get down to London to watch a big football match. And there should be one [a large stadium] in the North, in my view.
“But it’s also important for the southern side of Manchester, you know, to regenerate.
“It’s the sort of second capital of the country where the Industrial Revolution began.
“But if you have a regeneration project, you need a nucleus or a regeneration project and having that world-class stadium there, I think would provide the impetus to regenerate that region.”
UK
Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice denies claims of ‘abusive or threatening behaviour’ on show
Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice has rejected allegations that he displayed “abusive or threatening behaviour” while working as a professional dancer on the show.
The 33-year-old Italian dancer said he was “surprised” amid reports the BBC is looking into complaints about his conduct.
A legal firm acting on behalf of the complainants said the broadcaster is “evidence gathering” – but the BBC has not confirmed that any probe has been launched.
In the statement shared on Instagram, Pernice wrote: “To my dear fans, you will be as surprised as I am that allegations have been made about my dance teaching methods in the media this week.
“Of course, I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name.”
He added: “Those who have followed my journey on Strictly Come Dancing over the last decade will know that I am passionate and competitive.
“No one is more ambitious for my dance partners than me.
“I have always striven to help them be the very best dancers they can be.
“This has always come from a place of love and wanting to win – for me and my dance partners.”
Pernice signed off the message by writing: “Thank you all once again for your continued love and support! Giovanni.”
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A statement from law firm Carter-Ruck to the PA news agency said: “There have been numerous serious complaints made to the BBC who are now in the process of evidence gathering.
“As it is still an ongoing matter no further comment can be made at this stage.”
The Sun, which first reported suggestions that an investigation was underway, also claimed Pernice had quit the show.
Neither the BBC nor Pernice has confirmed his departure.
Sicily-born Pernice has been on the BBC One celebrity dancing show since 2015.
In 2021, he lifted the Strictly glitterball trophy for the first time alongside EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis, who was the first deaf contestant to win. He had appeared in three show finals previously.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
He also holds the Guinness World Record for most jive kick and flicks in 30 seconds, which he achieved on the BBC’s Strictly It Takes Two show in 2016.
The BBC was approached by Sky News but declined to comment.
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