Harpenden MP Victoria Collins criticises ‘unfair’ SEND funding

Speaking at a Westminster Hall debate chaired by Hitchin MP Alistair Strathern, Victoria Collins criticised Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) after Ofsted found “widespread systemic failings” in its SEND provisions.

The service received the lowest possible rating, with some children having to wait more than 78 weeks for help.

In the debate last week (5 September), Ms Collins blamed the Conservative-led city council and the “flawed” national funding formula, which has resulted in the borough receiving the third lowest funding per child in need in the country.

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Giving an example from her Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, she said: “Charlotte, one of my constituents, is a mother of three children, all with EHCPs (education, health and care plans) and complex SEND needs. Constant battle mode has become the norm and has resulted in her eldest child having to travel nearly 100 miles a day to school.

“The emotional wellbeing of Charlotte and her children has taken a toll, and her youngest has barely attended school since October 2023.”

The funding model was inherited by the Labour government from its Conservative predecessors and Ms Collins used her speech to call on Children’s Minister Janet Daby to change the formula used to calculate funding.

Herts County Council Leader Cllr Richard Roberts said: “Our SEND services, like those of other local authorities across the country, continue to face a perfect crisis of underfunding and increasing need, which is understandably leading to delays and dissatisfaction.

“By investing millions of pounds extra, radically changing the way we work and employing more staff with SEND experience, we are truly creating a turning point and can deliver higher quality services, better overall outcomes and improved communication.”