Conclusion 27

In written evidence, the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) raised its concerns about the unsustainable pressure that the costs of SEND transport were placing on local authority general budgets, noting that these transport costs are not covered by the Dedicated Schools Grant. ADCS explained that the current legislative framework allows parents of children with an EHC plan to express a preference for a school outside their local area and requires local authorities to pay for associated transport, even where there is an appropriate school closer to home. In this way, ADCS asserted, statutory duties that were intended to be funded through the high needs block of the Dedicated Schools Grant were increasingly placing additional pressure on local authority general budgets.67 64 HMT, Budget 2025 Document, 28 November 2025, section 5.5 65 Qq 53-64 66 Local Government Finance Settlement 2026–27 to 2028–29, HCWS1315, 9 February 2026 67 The Association of Directors of Children’s Services (HTS0011); C&AG’s Report, para 1.19 17 Integrating education and transport planning