Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how large Gloucestershire County Council's Dedicated Schools Grant deficit is compared to other local authorities; and whether her Department is taking steps to help support Gloucestershire County Council to implement the (a) Safety Valve and (b) Delivering Better Value programmes.

Gloucestershire County Council’s Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit for 2021/22 was £17 million (3.26% of DSG funding). For 2022/23 the DSG deficit is £28.6 million (5.19% of 2022/23 DSG funding).

Based on the 2021/22 figures, Gloucestershire County Council is the local authority with the 59^th largest deficit.

The department is taking steps to support Gloucestershire County Council through the Delivering Better Value in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) programme. The programme aims to help local authorities improve the outcomes for children and young people with SEND and place their local systems on a more sustainable financial footing.

Gloucestershire County Council is engaging positively with the programme and has completed the first phase which involves a root-cause diagnostic of its local system, engaging with its stakeholders; and the development of an implementation plan to address issues identified.