That the allocation of £151,900 from the Local Authority’s Higher Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNCPA) be approved for the re-provision of 7 LA commissioned EOTAS places.

·       The Local Authority (LA) has a balance of approximately £2m uncommitted in its 5 year HNCPA allocation.

·       The Education Act 1996 sets out a statutory duty on LAs to secure sufficient school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as well as those requiring Alternative Provision (AP). This includes post 16 education.

·       To meet the capital costs associated with the provision of new places or improvement of existing provision for:

·       Children and young people with complex needs, who have Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs), and where appropriate other children and young people with SEND who do not have an EHCP.

·       Pupils who require alternative provision (including children in AP settings without an EHCP).

·       To mitigate against the ongoing costs and the needs of children and young people with EHCPs, SEND or requiring Alternative Provision.

Not proceeding – the LA has a contract with YMCA South Devon to provide EOTAS places. Not supporting the relocation of the service would put those places at risk. 

There is not an option to spend this funding on any other Council priorities; the funding is ring fenced specially for developing or re-providing SEND provision.  If the funding is not utilised by the LA or is spent in a manner that does not meet the terms and conditions of the allocation, it would be clawed back by central Government.

October 2025 – March 2026

Approval to allocate £151,900 to YMCA South Devon to support the relocation of their Alternative Provision (AP) and re-provide 7 Local Authority contracted Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) places.  

YMCA South Devon provide a number of community services including a popular and successful nursery and a Council commissioned AP. Earlier this year, the LA awarded a 3 year contract to YMCA South Devon to provide 7 EOTAS places.

The YMCA’s current accommodation is in very poor condition and at imminent risk of closure. YMCA have been trying to find funding to improve or replace their existing premises but without success.

In February 2025, the Council agreed to assist YMCA South Devon with their attempts to improve their buildings and allocated £180,000 from the Higher Needs Capital Provision Allocation (HNPCA) for this reason. This use is in line with the terms of the HNPCA grant as it relates to the re-provision of AP places. Various condition surveys and feasibility assessments were undertaken and indicated that a minimum of £1.2m was required to address the urgent health & safety issues identified.

YMCA have been unable to secure the amount of funding necessary to improve their existing accommodation, however, in partnership with YMCA Exeter they have secured new premises in Paignton. To help with this relocation, they have requested that the Council allocate the balance of the £180,000 HNPCA already approved for YMCA to re-provide the LA EOTAS places. After the expense of the original feasibility work, there is a balance of £151,900 from the original allocation that is still available within the Children’s Services Capital Programme.

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