Decision details

The Committee agreed:

1.    to acknowledge the growth in the number of children with a recognised Additional Support Need at a national level, and specifically within Argyll and Bute;

2.    that lobbying of the Scottish Government, in collaboration with other Scottish local authorities to address the funding gap facing local authorities in meeting the needs of our children and young people effectively should be pursued, in the first instance through COSLA;

3.    to accept the professional advice from the Education Service in regard to how to best address the issues set out in this paper within Argyll and Bute, and deliver on Council priorities set for Education;

4.    to support funding of the revenue and capital required to implement the proposals, and note that the revenue savings which had been identified within existing Education Service resources, could otherwise be put towards the Council’s ongoing revenue funding gap, and therefore recommend to Council that they –

a.    approve virement of the phase 1 capital costs of £1,255,000 from within the Education Service as set out in Appendix 1,

b.    approve virement of the phase 1, revenue costs of £495,560 as appropriate, up to £495,560 from within the Education Service as set out in Appendix 1, and

c.    agree in principle the viring of revenue and capital funding within the Education Service, in accordance with the Council’s Financial Security Regulations paragraphs 3.14 to 3.16, for phase 2 of the proposals, with the necessary report(s) being submitted to Council at the appropriate time and subject to the Council’s overall financial position at that time.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 24 August 2023 and Funding Detail for Phase 1 and Current spend on External Day Placements for Education, submitted)