THE council cabinet voted unanimously to approve the budget to help expand facilities for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

BCP Council’s cabinet voted to approve the budget for a project at Canford Heath Infant and Junior schools.

As reported, the project will add additional speech and language therapy provision for 35 children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs).

While the budget document was exempt from the meeting, the project’s capital cost per pupil was listed at £62,857.

It is fully funded by the high needs specialist provision capital grant.

The project is spearheaded by the council in partnership with The Educational Alliance of Canford Heath (TEACH).

At the meeting of cabinet on Wednesday, April 10, councillor Richard Burton, portfolio holder for children and young people, outlined the project.

He said it was one of ‘several’ schemes being developed.

“The facility will take pressure off the increasing high needs block budget [and] have the advantage of utilising the existing school estate where there is already good and outstanding education provision,” Cllr Burton said.

“The infant school here last year achieved outstanding in all areas of an Ofsted inspection, which is a great achievement.

“The project has been granted a certificate of lawfulness back on March 11 this year, so that is the planning worries taken care of.”

Cllr Burton said the cost per pupil is below the national average of £75,000.

He said the cost had been kept down as it is a building that is being repurposed, and the council has not had to build any new buildings or buy any land.

He added the planning application process is simpler and cheaper as it was for a certificate of lawfulness.

Cllr Burton concluded: “I’ll finish by saying that I am very excited by this project.

“I note that there have been some frustration both within the school and within BCP Children’s Services that it has taken a long time to get to this point, however everything is now in place and it will be great to get this opened in the spring.”

This budget proposal will now go to full council for approval on Tuesday, April 23.