Local News

Councillors and senior leaders at East Riding of Yorkshire Council have welcomed the announcement by the Government that a debate will take place in Parliament around the lack of funding and provision for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The council is the lowest-funded local authority in the country for SEND provision, and Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children education and schools, along with David Davis, MP for Haltemprice and Howden, have been instrumental in lobbying for this debate.

The debate, SEND education, provision and funding, is due to be held on Thursday, 11 January and Councillor Aitken said “I’m really delighted to hear that all our hard work is starting to pay off and we have managed to secure this debate.

“The debate will focus on the lack of funding for our children and young people, not just in the East Riding, but across the country and this by no means, is the end of the road as there is so much more to do both here in the East Riding and across the country.

“Pressures on SEND budgets is something experienced by all local authorities, who are wrestling with huge growth in demand with limited resources to meet the needs of children and young people in their areas and that is no different in the East Riding.

“East Riding of Yorkshire Council is the lowest funded authority for SEND in the country, but we always strive to do the best for our children and young people, in what can be challenging circumstances.

“Through the f40 group, which is a group of local authorities that historically attracts the lowest levels of per-pupil funding, this debate will help us fight for our children and young people to secure more funding for SEND provision.”

David Davis, MP for Haltemprice and Howden, said: "The East Riding has one of the lowest levels of SEND funding in England. It is important we correct this to ensure all children, regardless of where they live, have the same support, care and opportunities.

“The debate I have secured in Parliament will raise this crucial issue at the national level and will hopefully start to address the imbalance, not just for the East Riding, but for underfunded local authorities right across England.”