Judicial review begins over special needs bailout
A judicial review in the High Court case has begun over a government bailout of £54m for special needs education funding in Bristol.
Last year, Bristol City Council entered into a deal with the Department for Education to receive extra money to help pay off a financial deficit caused by an increase in demand for special educational needs provision, or SEND.
As part of the agreement, known as a Safety Valve, the council agreed to reign in its spending, which parents feared would lead to less support for their children.
Bristol City Council said it would not comment on the case while proceedings were ongoing.
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.
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.
Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
Council to receive £53m bailout for SEND services
Council's SEND bailout plan criticised by charity
Council admits SEND children not having needs met
HM Courts and Tribunals Service
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Maui County Council to hear response to vacation rentals conversion today
A key Maui County Council committee will hear testimony today on Mayor Richard Bissen's proposal to convert less than half of Maui's short-term vacation rentals into long-term housing for local residents that's expected to trigger a loss of $60 million in tax revenue while lowering sales and rental prices. The trade-off will be worth it and lead to stable, more affordable housing for Maui residents, Bissen told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on the eve of today's hearing by the Council's Housing and Land Use committee. The Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires killed 102 people, destroyed more than 5, 400 households and sent 12, 000 survivors into emergency housing, exacerbating Maui's housing shortage. 'We've taken a stand we believe in, ' Bissen said. 'It's not anti-visitor. It's pro-local, pro-resident. … It's not meant to divide our community, but to preserve our community.' Visitors remain welcomed on Maui and there still would be hotel rooms and other short-term vacation rentals available in other parts of Maui if Bill 9 passes, requiring 6, 100 rental units to convert to long-term housing for residents, he said. Another 8, 000 vacation rentals in Maui County would be unaffected, with most of them on the island of Maui, Bissen said. Instead of a constant turnover of guests, condominium buildings would turn into new neighborhood communities of full-time, local residents and families, he said. Owners of vacation rentals have urged Bissen and his administration to look for alternatives to developing more affordable housing, which Bissen said he continues to do. But finding appropriate land, getting permits approved and construction costs and time can take years compared to converting existing condos into long-term housing, he said. 'The bottom line is we need to create more inventory, ' Bissen said. 'It's an immediate problem.' Bissen has amended Bill 9 to now call for a three-year phaseout of the 6, 100 vacation rentals to give owners time to either sell to local residents or rent to them long term. He called sales to local residents 'ideal ' and long-term rental agreements 'also a good idea.' The wildfires exacerbated Maui's housing shortage and led many landlords to increase rental prices. Some landlords who had long-term rental agreements with residents evicted them in order to take advantage of higher rates they could charge by taking in fire survivors and, in some cases, nearly double their income, Bissen said. 'It's almost like looting when somebody jacks up prices when there's a need, ' Bissen said. 'I don't know how we punish all those landlords.' Most—94 %—of the people who own the 6, 100 short-term vacation units that would be converted live outside Maui, meaning the units represent second or third homes for them, Bissen said. Only 6 % are Maui County residents, said Bissen's executive assistant, Matt Jachowski. Bissen's proposal has the support of many residents and received unanimous approvals by planning commissions on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. It's drawn opposition from property owners like Loretta Ross, a 68-year-old retiree from San Diego who has owned her ocean-view, studio apartment in the three-story, 67-unit Hale Ono Loa condo complex along Lower Honoapiilani Highway for 20 years. The short-term rental market was first hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, then again in the aftermath of the wildfires and has continued falling ever since Bissen proposed outlawing vacation rentals last year for owners like Ross, she told the Star-Advertiser. 'Property values have dropped 30 %, ' she said. And her business has fallen, too. Ross used to charge $259 a night but cannot get bookings even after dropping her rate to $159. The potential passage of Bill 9 has scared away potential buyers who also would want to use her condo as a rental business, Ross said. 'I've had it listed for over a year, but my agent said no one's buying anything, ' Ross said. 'I'm on Social Security and I'm running out of savings.' Her monthly costs, including mortgage, taxes and association fees add up to $4, 000 a month that Ross doubts a local family could afford for a studio apartment. 'No one's going to pay that, ' she said. So if Bill 9 passes, 'it would probably have go into foreclosure as much as I love it and I've been blessed to have it. It would be like the nail in the coffin.' Bissen expects the Housing and Land Use Committee to hold two or three sessions of all-day hearings to listen to testimony in support for and opposition to Bill 9. The committee's made up of all nine Council members and its vote could foreshadow how the full Council decides the fate of Bill 9. In April, the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization estimated that banning 6, 127 short-term vacation rentals could have profound economic implications for Maui County, including the loss of 1, 900 jobs, $900 million in annual visitor spending and $60 million in property tax revenue by 2029. General excise tax and hotel room tax revenues also could fall, adding up to $15 million annually, according to UHERO. But Bissen said Maui still needs workers and the county's $1.5 billion budget could be adjusted to absorb 'some losses.' Overall, he said, 'the benefits outweigh the negatives.'
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kalispell City Council mulls hazard mitigation plan during work session
Jun. 9—Kalispell City Council on Monday will discuss adopting a state-approved hazard mitigation plan after previously postponing the vote to give Councilors time to read the 500-page document. Council convenes on June 9 at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. The 2024 Western Montana Region Hazard Mitigation Plan is meant to serve as a policy and program blueprint and "identify and reduce long-term risks from disasters or natural events" across Montana, according to city officials. Development of the Flathead County portion of the plan began in 2022 and was approved by the state and Federal Emergency Management Agency earlier this year. When it last came before the Council in April, Councilor Sid Daoud successfully lobbied his colleagues to delay voting on the plan. He said then that he was uncomfortable voting on it without having read the document in its entirety. Flathead County, Columbia Falls and Whitefish have already adopted the plan, which opens up grant opportunities for hazard mitigation projects in 2025. City Manager Doug Russell told Council in April that the city currently has no hazard mitigation projects on the docket. Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 or junderhill@
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Provincial housing minister praised NDP program during visit to Penticton
British Columbia's Minister of Housing believes the provincial NDP government has come up with a funding model program established only two years ago that will be followed by government leaders across the country to allow Canadians to remain in housing they can afford. During a stop in Penticton Thursday afternoon, Ravi Kahlon, the provincial Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, revealed details about B.C.'s Rental Protection Fund, established back in 2023. As part of the fund, the provincial government announced the purchase of 14 homes at a housing complex located at 680 Wade Avenue East, purchased by the Penticton and District Society for Community Living. Kahlon said hundreds of families, seniors and individuals now have certainty that they can stay in homes they can afford due to the new funding provided by the Rental Protection Fund. 'I would say that the fear that many British Columbians have is when they drive by an encampment, many British Columbians think 'could that be me',' said Kahlon. 'When they see a 'For Sale' sign in front of their building, they think how close I could be if I lose my housing to be in a vulnerable situation. 'So while we address issues like the encampment here in Penticton, we have to ensure that the housing stock that we have protects the people that need it. That's the beauty of this Rental Protection Fund. Over 50 per cent of all the buildings purchased or sold last year, were purchased by the Rental Protection Fund. That is a significant shift of housing into the not-for-profit housing space.' The fund is not only allowing the government to protect the housing needed to provide a home for so many who are struggling to survive, but also ensuring that people can live dignified lives, said Kahlon. Kahlon said he and his government believe funding like this, which allows those struggling to access housing that is accessible and affordable, is going to become a national model for tackling Canada's affordable housing crisis. 'This program, I can guarantee you, will be scaled across the country,' he said. 'It's not whether the federal government wants to or doesn't want to. They have no choice because the data and success we're seeing in British Columbia is clear. 'We have multiple communities in today's announcement, but the reason I wanted to do it in Penticton was because Mayor and Council here are showing all councils across the province that you can be an active participant to protect the vulnerable people in your community and I'm hoping that it inspires other communities to do the same thing, so we can continue to expand this program going into the future. 'My message to the federal Housing Minister (former Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson) is you don't need to spend time trying to figure it out, we have the solution. Just write us a cheque.' Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield, who attended Thursday's announcement with members of Council and senior city administration, had high praise for the program. 'Today's announcement highlights the success of our affordable housing pilot funding program,' he said. 'This program, along with our updated permissive tax-exemption policy, reflects our commitment to non-market housing and partnerships to protect affordable rentals so residents can stay in homes they can afford.' Raymond Kendell, a tenant in Penticton, was also ecstatic. 'I was worried I wouldn't find a place,' he said. 'It's expensive here in Penticton. I've lived here 4.5 years. I appreciate that the Penticton and District Society for Community Living improved our building. Most people in the building seem stress-free and much happier now.' Tarra Kenney, CEO, Penticton and District Society for Community Living (PDSCL), said the fund will help many people in Penticton and across the province. 'The acquisition of the apartments at 680 Wade Ave. E. in Penticton, made possible through the Rental Proection Fund (RPF), marks a significant step in ensuring affordable housing for our community,' she said. 'Thanks to this funding, PDSCL has been able to maintain lower rental rates, providing stability and accessibility for residents who need it most.' In the midst of a global housing affordability crisis and rising costs, the provincial NDP government is securing affordable housing that gives people stability and peace of mind to help them thrive in their communities, said Kahlon. 'When people lose their homes, it can be a real struggle to find another affordable rental and communities can lose the people who work in local businesses, schools and hospitals,' he said. 'We created the Rental Protection Fund to help people stay in the homes they can afford now and in the future.' To make sure more people throughout B.C. can remain in their homes affordably, the Rental Protection Fund has supported non-profit organizations to buy a total of 220 homes, including the 14 in Penticton. As well, they recently purchased: • Chilliwack: 85 homes at Camelot Apartments, bought by Affordable Housing Societies • Fort St. John: 18 homes at Alpine Lodge., and 24 homes at Grandview Townhomes., bought by Connective • Kamloops: 25 homes at Riverside Gardens, bought by Connective Kamloops • Prince George: 21 homes bought by More than a Roof Mennonite Housing Society • Vancouver: 33 homes in Abana Court., bought by the New Vista Society. To secure these homes, the Rental Protection Fund provided partners with more than $26 million in capital contributions and renewal grants, including approximately $2.3 million to improve the buildings and ensure the homes remain in good condition for the people living there, said Kahlon. 'We're safeguarding affordability for renters across the province in communities big and small,' said Katie Maslechko, CEO, Rental Protection Fund. 'These acquisitions show what's possible when governments, community housing providers and even residents work together to keep our housing Canadian and affordable through community ownership.' The homes range from studios to three bedrooms, and are suitable for the diverse needs of seniors, families and individuals. The homes are centrally located within walking distance of core services that people rely on, such as childcare, schools, parks and transit. 'I have lived here for the past eight years, and prior to the Penticton and District Society for Community Living acquiring the property, the uncertainty and constant worry about potentially having to move or paying one-third or more for rent elsewhere in the city was extremely unsettling,' said Vicki Rylander, a tenant in Penticton. 'Being on a limited income, such a change would have had a seriously negative impact on my financial stability.' The properties in this announcement are part of the nearly 1,600 homes protected through the fund since its launch in 2023. Based on its effect so far, the fund is on track to exceed its target of protecting 2,000 homes well ahead of schedule. The fund is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has nearly 92,000 homes delivered or underway, including more than 360 homes in Penticton. In January 2023, the Province made a historic initial investment of $500 million to establish the B.C. Rental Protection Fund. The fund provides one-time capital contributions to non-profit housing organizations so they can buy existing affordable rental buildings and co-operatives, protecting the people living there, safeguarding the units and keeping those units as affordable, long-term housing. On average, rents secured through the fund are 44 per cent lower than local market rates and are kept below market to ensure long-term affordability for people with low or moderate incomes. Rob Botterell, BC Green Party house leader; MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, praised the program. 'These projects show what's possible when communities and non-profits are given the tools to take housing off the speculative market,' he said. 'When we protect and expand affordable housing, we don't just solve the housing crisis - we make progress on health, education and economic stability. To create lasting change, we need continued and expanded support for protecting existing affordable homes.' Stephen Bennett, CEO, Affordable Housing Societies, was also pleased. 'We are grateful for the support of the Province through the Rental Protection Fund for our purchase of the Camelot apartments in Chilliwack,' he said. 'Because of this purchase, we have been able to ensure the residents of that building continue to have housing stability at rents they can afford.' Lee-Anne Michayluk, CEO, More Than A Roof Housing Society, credited the government for taking action on one of the most serious issues facing the province and its residents. 'This acquisition underscores our ongoing commitment to fostering strong, thriving communities by prioritizing sustainable and affordable housing solutions,' she said. 'We extend our appreciation to the RPF team and the provincial government as we work together to create lasting, positive impacts for current and future residents. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
