Oxfordshire County Council logo

Issue - meetings

Motion by Councillor Brighouse

Meeting: 07/10/2022 - County Council (Item 72)

Motion by Councillor Liz Brighouse

Councils across England have seen their deficits in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities rise. It currently stands at a record £2.4b.  Oxfordshire’s deficit is roughly £20m and rising. Like other authorities, Oxfordshire will face catastrophic financial decisions when in 2023 the Government removes the ability of Local Authorities to keep this debt within a separate reserve budget. Unless removed by government, Oxfordshire will have to find ways to fund the deficit within its budget for 2023/24.

 

The deficits have built up after many years of rising demand for services and Central Government now needs to address the issue. 

 

This Council asks the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Education and the Chancellor asking that these debts be written off so that the reforms necessary in the Green Paper and in Oxfordshire’s own SEND Strategy, which will reduce costs, can be delivered without the strain of historic deficits. 

 

Decision:

The motion was carried unanimously (42 votes to 0)

Minutes:

Councillor Liz Brighouse moved and Councillor Duncan Haywood seconded the following motion

 

“Councils across England have seen their deficits in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities rise. It currently stands at a record £2.4b.  Oxfordshire’s deficit is roughly £20m and rising. Like other authorities, Oxfordshire will face catastrophic financial decisions when in 2023 the Government removes the ability of Local Authorities to keep this debt within a separate reserve budget. Unless removed by government, Oxfordshire will have to find ways to fund the deficit within its budget for 2023/24.

 

The deficits have built up after many years of rising demand for services and Central Government now needs to address the issue. 

 

This Council asks the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Education and the Chancellor asking that these debts be written off so that the reforms necessary in the Green Paper and in Oxfordshire’s own SEND Strategy, which will reduce costs, can be delivered without the strain of historic deficits”

 

Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and carried unanimously (42 votes 0)

 

 

 

 

 


Meeting: 13/09/2022 - County Council (Item 13.)

Motion by Councillor Liz Brighouse

Councils across England have seen their deficits in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities rise. It currently stands at a record £2.4b.  Oxfordshire’s deficit is roughly £20m and rising. Like other authorities, Oxfordshire will face catastrophic financial decisions when in 2023 the Government removes the ability of Local Authorities to keep this debt within a separate reserve budget. Unless removed by government, Oxfordshire will have to find ways to fund the deficit within its budget for 2023/24.

 

The deficits have built up after many years of rising demand for services and Central Government now needs to address the issue. 

 

This Council asks the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Education and the Chancellor asking that these debts be written off so that the reforms necessary in the Green Paper and in Oxfordshire’s own SEND Strategy, which will reduce costs, can be delivered without the strain of historic deficits.