Posted on the 12th May 2025 in PHTM News

STOKE-ON-TRENT COUNCIL TO REVIEW SEND TRANSPORT AFTER £3 MILLION OVERSPEND

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is launching a review of its special education transport services after overspending its budget by nearly £3 million in the last financial year.

The council spent £9.37 million on transporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in 2024/25, significantly exceeding its £6.42 million budget.

Concerns have been raised by councillors that the authority is being "held to ransom by some taxi firms," prompting the children and family services scrutiny committee to investigate how the funds are being used.

Paul Gerrard, head of school services, explained to the committee that the increased demand for SEND transport, driven by a rise in children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs), was a growing issue for many councils.

He clarified the council's legal obligations, stating: "The law says that if a child is unable to get to school, the local authority will put in steps to get that child to school. That might be because of distance, or SEN issues."

He also addressed misconceptions, noting: "There is a perception in some areas that if a child has an EHCP they'll automatically get their own taxi – that doesn't happen."

While Gerrard pointed out that the high success rate of appeal rejections (90%) suggests the council's policy is generally sound, he acknowledged the financial pressures.

"We're trying to keep a lid on this, as it's a massive amount of spend," he said, adding: "Most authorities are under incredible pressure. But the parameters are fairly fixed on where we can go with this. Essentially, we're following statutory restrictions.”

Councillor Dave Evans voiced strong concerns about the pricing of local taxi services, stating: "We only have a limited number of providers in the city, frankly they've got us by the short and curlies, and that bumps up the cost...It's the process of the procurement and market-making that's the issue."

Committee chair Daniela Santoro echoed this sentiment, saying: "I feel that we are being held to ransom by some firms."

Cabinet member for children's services, Councillor Sarah Hill, stressed the need for efficiency and reasonable parental expectations, adding: "Nationally, this is a huge problem. I think the government needs to think about how to deal with this."

Ultimately, the scrutiny committee agreed to conduct a further review into the council's transport policy and its delivery to identify potential cost savings and ensure value for money for taxpayers.


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