Bristol: Judicial review begins over special needs bailout
In the last few years, there has been a large increase in the number of children designated as having special educational needs in Bristol.This has led to spiralling costs, as the council has struggled to find suitable school places for children with education, health and care plans (EHCP), which it is legally obliged to provide.Thirty seven other councils around the country have entered into Safety Valve deals with the Department for Education.Bristol City Council stands to get £54m over seven years, but this equates to a 25% cut in its spending on SEND.The council was previously found to have broken the law by a judge in 2018, who ruled that cuts to its SEND budget then were illegal.
'Golden ticket'
The case has been brought by Watkins Solicitors, who are representing a family from Bristol.Managing partner of Watkins, Beverly Watkins, told the BBC: "It is so difficult, many of these parents had to give up work, they're looking after kids 24-hours-a-day. "They don't want a golden ticket or special treatment, all they want is appropriate provision to meet the needs of their children. "There is a chronic shortage of special schools and the idea that you can simply place the kids in mainstream schools is not a good one and will not work."SEND campaigner Jen Smith said: "Bristol has a really long history of not getting this right."We're all very concerned because it will affect children now and in the future, the impact could be devastating," she added.A judgement in the case is expected later this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
Epping council goes to High Court to remove migrants from hotel
Epping Forest district council has applied to the High Court to stop asylum seekers being housed at a hotel that has been at the centre of protests. The local authority has asked for an interim injunction to prohibit the use of the Bell Hotel as asylum seeker accommodation for a fortnight. The leader of the council said it had taken the action because ' the current situation cannot go on', adding that the Home Office 'continues not to listen'. Protests have been taking place outside the hotel since last month, after an Ethiopian asylum seeker was charged with sexually assaulting a schoolgirl days after arriving in Britain. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, denied the charge when he appeared at Chelmsford magistrates' court, and has been remanded in custody. In a statement on Tuesday, Cllr Chris Whitbread said: 'The current situation cannot go on. If the Bell Hotel was a nightclub, we could have closed it down long ago. 'So far as the council is aware, there is no criminal record checking of individuals who might only have been in the country a matter of days before being housed at the hotel. 'There are five schools and a residential care home within the vicinity of the hotel. 'The use by the Home Office of the premises for asylum seekers poses a clear risk of further escalating community tensions already at a high, and the risk of irreparable harm to the local community. We are frustrated that the Home Office continues not to listen.' The Conservative-led council is claiming that placing asylum seekers in the Bell Hotel is a 'clear breach of planning permission' because it is not being used as a hotel. Cllr Whitbread said he hoped that, should an interim injunction be granted, it would be a 'catalyst to the prohibition of the use of the Bell Hotel' to house migrants. At the end of last month, Essex Police said 14 people had been charged in connection with protests outside the hotel, and there had been 23 arrests. Protesters opposing the use of the hotel to house migrants have also been faced by counter-protests, at times leading to hundreds of demonstrators in the area. Since the demonstrations began in Epping, there have been other migrant protests cropping up in other parts of the country, including at Heathrow and the financial area of Canary Wharf. Cllr Holly Whitbread, responsible for Epping Forest district council's finances, told PA: 'In terms of the community impact and the pressure on local infrastructure, it's just completely unsustainable, particularly also in light of the amount of police resource which has been required around some of the protests which I know have been largely peaceful.' 'In theory, the Home Office are supposed to foot the bill for those within the hotel, but I think the reality is often different'. Meanwhile, Ricard Tice, the Reform UK deputy leader, claimed migrants were 'leering and jeering' at mothers taking their children to school. He told Times Radio: 'We are seeing an increase in numbers of sexual assaults, leering and jeering, coincidentally around asylum seeker hotels. When I campaign up and down the country, I hear this from concerned residents close to these hotels time and time again. Around primary schools, as mums take their youngsters to school.' Other local authorities have previously sought injunctions against the use of hotels as asylum accommodation. Councils including Ipswich borough council, East Riding of Yorkshire council, Fenland district council and Stoke-on-Trent city council had interim injunctions granted but not continued. In January 2023, the High Court decided to continue an injunction from the previous in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, where a seafront hotel had been lined up to house asylum seekers. The court noted that the area's local plan had a policy to protect the seafront, and that hostels were not permitted there. Matt Vickers, the shadow policing minister, said Epping Forest district council 'is absolutely right to take a stand'. He added: 'Communities like Epping should not be forced to carry the burden of Labour's broken asylum policy. Local residents have every right to feel safe in their own streets and every right to object to this accommodation in their community. 'This is the direct result of Labour's decision to throw open Britain's borders and tear up the deterrents the Conservatives put in place. The Conservatives will remove all illegal arrivals immediately and put a proper deterrent in place so that towns like Epping are never put in this position again.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'It would be inappropriate to comment while legal proceedings are ongoing.'
Sky News
a day ago
- Sky News
Essex council asks High Court to stop hotel housing migrants
Why you can trust Sky News An Essex council has asked the High Court to stop the owners of a hotel housing migrants, following weeks of protests. Epping Forest District Council applied on Tuesday for an interim High Court injunction to prevent the Bell Hotel being used to accommodate asylum seekers. The council is requesting that the ban take effect 14 days after the injunction is approved. It is citing "the clear risk of further escalating community tensions" and calls for the present situation "to be brought under control" urgently. The council is also requesting a declaration that using the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers is not the same as using it as a regular hotel, and therefore is not permitted under planning rules. "The current situation cannot go on. If the Bell Hotel was a nightclub we could have closed it down long ago," said Cllr Chris Whitbread, leader of Epping Forest District Council. "So far as the council is aware, there is no criminal record checking of individuals who might only have been in the country a matter of days before being housed at the hotel." Cllr Whitbread pointed out there are five schools and a residential care home within the vicinity of the hotel, and that the use by the Home Office of the premises for asylum seekers could further escalate community tensions that are "already at a high", as well as "the risk of irreparable harm to the local community". "This will only increase with the start of the new school year. We are frustrated that the Home Office continues not to listen," he said. Weeks of protests Demonstrations began on 13 July after an asylum seeker was charged with allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl. An Ethiopian man, who had only recently arrived on a small boat, has been charged with three counts of sexual assault of a girl. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, denies sexual assault and is due to stand trial this month. 2:54 Essex Police recently implemented dispersal orders before some protests, allowing officers to order anyone suspected of causing anti-social behaviour to leave the area. The force said 25 people have been arrested in connection with the protests, and a total of 16 people have now been charged. 'Unprecedented' levels of disruption Epping Forest council said it has resorted to this latest action due to the "unprecedented levels of protest and disruption" in the community. The protests have placed the police "under severe pressure", as additional police officers had to be drafted in from other forces, it said. At a recent council meeting in July 2025, Epping Forest councillors voted unanimously to call on the Home Office to "immediately" close the Bell Hotel. They also called for the phased closure of the Phoenix Hotel in North Weald, which is also providing temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. "We are doing this on behalf of our local community. We are a small district council. We have tried to help the Home Office see the situation cannot go on, but central government is not listening," Cllr Whitbread said. "We should not have to take this fight to the High Court, but we are left with no choice. It is now up to the judge," he added.
Sky News
a day ago
- Sky News
Essex council asks High Court to remove migrants from hotel
An Essex council has asked the High Court to stop migrants being housed at a hotel, following weeks of protests. Epping Forest District Council applied on Tuesday for an interim High Court injunction to prevent the Bell Hotel being used to accommodate asylum seekers. The council is requesting that the ban take effect 14 days after the injunction is approved. It is citing "the clear risk of further escalating community tensions" and calls for the present situation "to be brought under control" urgently. The council is also requesting a declaration that using the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers is not the same as using it as a regular hotel, and therefore is not permitted under planning rules. "The current situation cannot go on. If the Bell Hotel was a nightclub we could have closed it down long ago," said Cllr Chris Whitbread, leader of Epping Forest District Council. "So far as the council is aware, there is no criminal record checking of individuals who might only have been in the country a matter of days before being housed at the hotel." Cllr Whitbread pointed out there are five schools and a residential care home within the vicinity of the hotel, and that the use by the Home Office of the premises for asylum seekers could further escalate community tensions that are "already at a high", as well as "the risk of irreparable harm to the local community". "This will only increase with the start of the new school year. We are frustrated that the Home Office continues not to listen," he said. Weeks of protests Demonstrations began on 13 July after an asylum seeker was charged with allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl. An Ethiopian man, who had only recently arrived on a small boat, has been charged with three counts of sexual assault of a girl. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, denies sexual assault and is due to stand trial this month. 2:54 Essex Police recently implemented dispersal orders before some protests, allowing officers to order anyone suspected of causing anti-social behaviour to leave the area. The force said 25 people have been arrested in connection with the protests, and a total of 16 people have now been charged. 'Unprecedented' levels of disruption Epping Forest council said it has resorted to this latest action due to the "unprecedented levels of protest and disruption" in the community. The protests have placed the police "under severe pressure", as additional police officers had to be drafted in from other forces, it said. At a recent council meeting in July 2025, Epping Forest councillors voted unanimously to call on the Home Office to "immediately" close the Bell Hotel. They also called for the phased closure of the Phoenix Hotel in North Weald, which is also providing temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. "We are doing this on behalf of our local community. We are a small district council. We have tried to help the Home Office see the situation cannot go on, but central government is not listening," Cllr Whitbread said. "We should not have to take this fight to the High Court, but we are left with no choice. It is now up to the judge," he added.
