To approve capital expenditure from the approved accessibility works budget in order to adapt schools so that they can meet the physical needs of learners, with special educational needs, to attend school.

That:

a) The Service Director Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the accessibility improvement works within the approved budget of £1.5m

b) The Service Director Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to vary the programme of works should there be a change in pupil needs and/or additional pupil information is received; and

 c) The Corporate Director, Childrens and Young People be authorised to take all operational decisions relating to the award of contracts for the above programmes of accessibility improvement works.

1. No funding is spent on accessibility improvement works in schools, and children may be required to attend different schools that could be further distance from the child’s home with associated transport costs. The Children and Families Act (2014) requires the council to arrange the admission of a disabled child or a child with an education health and care plan to the parent / carer’s preferred school, unless it can be shown that to do so would prejudice other children or it would be unreasonable to do so. The excessive financial cost of making adaptations could be considered unreasonable.