Financial distress in Local Authorities

1. Can you tell me how many children in the cost bracket of £250,000 and £750,00 per annum in care costs, Devon County Council (DCC) are currently looking after and what are the costs to Devon tax payer’s?

As at 31^st July 2024 we have 102 children forecasting to cost in excess of £250,000.00 per year with the total cost of these forecast to be £39,639,000 for the financial year 24/25.

This is not necessarily going to be the total cost though as circumstances do change and the service are working hard to reduce costs whilst still meeting the complex needs of the children.

2. How many children there are in Devon who are on Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and what this is costing Devon tax payer’s.

3. How much tax payers money DCC spend on Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND) transport each year?

Please note, we only hold information from financial year 2019/20 onwards.

4. Have DCC excluded any deficits relating to their dedicated schools grant (DSG) spending from their main revenue budgets, and if so, what the deficit currently amounts to?

£115.4 million.

5. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Financial Distress in Local Authorities third report of session 2023-2024 includes many quotes that make is clear that the funding model for social care is broken. That Council Tax does not work as a funding mechanism for social care and that we need a cross party, national conversation on the future of social care services and funding. What has the leadership of DCC done to progress this conversation with the government?

Devon is currently in the Safety Valve Intervention Programme with the DFE to reduce the Dedicated Schools Grant Deficit and bring the spend of the authority back to with their funding allocation in the coming years. Regular conversations are held with department and this arrangement is in place until 2031/32.