Latest news with #IainMurray
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Councils face millions in extra Send costs as overhaul delayed
Cash-strapped councils in England will be hit with hundreds of millions of pounds in extra costs after the government delayed tackling the £5bn deficits spent supporting children and young people with special needs and disabilities. Council leaders and experts said the two-year delay prolongs the financial struggles faced by local authorities as they await the government's overhaul of special educational needs and disabilities (Send) provision, and warned it could force more councils into sell-offs and insolvency. Local authorities have been allowed to keep high-needs deficits off their balance sheets, thanks to a special statutory override. This mechanism was due to end next April, creating a 'cliff-edge' that threatened to bankrupt scores of councils. The override will now run until April 2028, the government announced as part of its wider reforms to revitalise local government funding in England. Iain Murray, director of public financial management at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, said the changes have not fixed the fundamental pressures facing local governments. Murray said: 'Without urgent solutions to both existing and future Send deficits, those councils grappling with unsustainable high-needs costs and rapidly growing cumulative deficits may, at best, be forced to make further reductions in essential services, and at worst, risk declaring themselves effectively bankrupt.' The Local Government Association has said more than half of councils risked becoming insolvent if the override ended next April. A Guardian investigation revealed in March that their combined deficits would reach £5.2bn by the end of this year. The additional borrowing is likely to reach £200m a year in interest payments and associated costs, as well as lost income from investments and assets as councils use up their reserves to cover the deficits and loans. Tim Oliver, chair of the County Councils Network, said: 'Council leaders can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they no longer face a financial cliff edge in nine months' time. 'We now need to ensure that the government's commitment to support councils to manage their Send deficits rings true. 'Despite the extension of the statutory override, many councils still face a number of issues, including rising debt outstripping reserves, mounting interest payments and lost investment income. For some, this could mean reducing services elsewhere or running into extreme financial difficulty. 'Therefore, it is critical government sets out a comprehensive solution later this year. This should include writing off deficits and compensating councils … ensuring that the slate is wiped clean.' Helen Hayes, the Labour MP who chairs the Commons education committee, said the extension was a 'temporary fix', and warned: 'The government should not delay a permanent resolution to local authorities' long-term Send deficits beyond 2028 and it must work to devise a solution that helps councils to achieve long-term financial sustainability and does not damage their finances further.' Council high-needs budgets have been under pressure from the sharp rise in children with special needs, with the number requiring extra resources detailed in education, health and care plans (EHCPs) rocketing in recent years. Nearly one in five schoolchildren in England now have recognised special educational needs, according to Department for Education figures, including 482,600 children with EHCPs. The government said it will use the two-year delay to reform how the Send system works and is funded. In that time ministers say they intend to deal with the high-needs deficits, despite only raising central funding for local government 1.1% a year on average until 2028-29. A government spokesperson said: 'This government inherited a Send system left on its knees, which is why we are looking at changes through our plan for change to improve support for children and stop parents having to fight for help while bringing about financial sustainability for councils. 'We will set out our full plans for reform in the autumn, including our approach to supporting councils with their deficits, to deliver excellence everywhere for every child.' Other measures in the consultation will see government grants moved away from wealthier urban centres such as London towards to places with higher deprivation levels, as well as rural authorities and tourist hotspots where funding does not account for surges in visitors. Officials say the move will not lead to higher council taxes, in part because the government's financial forecasts assume councils putting council tax up by 4.99% – the maximum increase without holding a referendum. Jack Shaw of Manchester University, an expert in local government, said: 'The longstanding failure to reform council tax has had a more detrimental impact on councils outside London and the south-east, so it's right that funding is corrected to take that into account. Some authorities will lose out, but there are transitional arrangements to mitigate that. 'Council cuts under the Conservatives mean that it'll take some time to put them on a more sustainable footing. Funding reform will improve the fortunes of many councils, but they'll continue to face acute financial challenges.'
The Courier
22-04-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
St Johnstone striker Uche Ikpeazu opens up on injury nightmare after FIVE knee operations
St Johnstone striker Uche Ikpeazu has opened up on his injury nightmare, revealing that it wasn't until after a FIFTH operation to his knee that he started to see light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Now, following a 15-minute cameo appearance in the Perth club's Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic, the former Hearts man is determined to make up for lost time and help keep Saints in the Premiership. 'That's my first game since April last year,' said the 30-year-old. 'To be back on the pitch after such a horrible time is a blessing. 'It was probably the worst of my career, my life – not knowing when I was going to come back, if I was going to come back. 'My faith kept me going. Mistakes were made, not by myself, and things were out of my hands. 'It was a nightmare. 'I did everything I could, but I couldn't come back. 'If it was properly sorted out I'd have been back four, five months ago. 'I have to thank St Johnstone as a football club – the owners, the manager, my team-mates. 'They have been incredibly supportive. 'Some days you come in and think: 'Where do I go from here?' 'The club sorted me out to see Dr Iain Murray in Edinburgh and he analysed the knee, had another surgery and found what was going on. 'An infection was hiding in there and he sorted it out quite quickly. That's five operations. 'If not for Dr Murray and how meticulous he was, I don't know when I would be back. 'A big thank you to him. He kind of saved me. I didn't think I'd play this season and, to be honest, I didn't know when I'd play. 'And it was great the club brought in Caitlin (physio Caitlin Wright, who moved from Hamilton mid-season). 'She's very thorough and takes her job seriously, which is important for a physio. You can't say that about everyone. 'Early mornings, late afternoons. There have been a lot of hard hours.' 'I've missed so much football but that's made me more determined and hungrier than ever to help this team and get us out of this position. I love football and I've missed it so much. I'm excited.' Saints were starved of possession at the weekend but Ikpeazu showed enough in his short time on the pitch to suggest he will be able to make an impact off the bench in the post-split run-in. 'I pride myself on being a team player,' he said. 'It's not just about goals. I can bring people into play and assist. 'There are 15 points to play for. 'It's very much possible, especially when we're playing the teams we are fighting against. 'I'm really positive about it and want to show St Johnstone what I can do. 'Coming on gives me the confidence that I'm ready. We lost 5-0 but physically I feel alright. 'I only had about seven or eight days of full training before this. But I was just desperate to get involved. 'I told the gaffer: 'Listen, I want to be involved.' 'We probably accelerated the process a little quicker than I was supposed to. 'The manager has been amazing. It's been a very difficult situation obviously. Football is a business – the club is paying me and I couldn't play. 'I felt horrible about that situation because I'm not just here to pick up a salary. 'They've been supportive even though it's been a difficult situation on and off the pitch. 'From a business perspective and they can't get their number nine playing. 'That's what you need when going through difficult times. You need that support.' Ikpeazu added: 'I think every team needs a number nine! That's my opinion. 'You need that sort of striker who can bring people into play and get the team up the pitch. 'I just want to repay the faith and patience that has been shown to me. I have no doubt that I will be able to show my quality. You don't lose that overnight. 'Whether I play or not, whether I start or come off the bench. I just want the team to solidify a place in this division. 'I don't want to play in the Championship. I've played at a high level most of my career, so I want to stay up. 'But one step at a time. 'It was really frustrating against Celtic and not good enough from all of us, including myself. But we move on to Motherwell.'
