During a Public Accounts Committee hearing, James highlighted concerns from Norfolk County Council regarding the cost of places at independent special needs schools and the costs of transportation.
Norfolk County Council has a £120 million capital investment programme to provide 4 new schools and up to 13 Special Resource Bases added to mainstream schools. However, NCC is concerned at the costs is has to pay to send pupils to private providers. The Council is spending £70 million per year on special school places in the state and independent sector but it also spending £23 million transporting pupils to special schools.
James raised the concerns over the charging and asked the Department for Education to consider this as well as the transport costs in rural areas as part of the Special Educational Needs review coming early next year.
