Essex County Council’s budget for transporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to school has more than doubled over the past five years, rising from £22.37 million in 2021-22 to £42.73 million in 2025-26.

The council’s SEND transport budget is expected to increase by about 100% across five years, fueling calls for more local specialist schools and highly skilled teachers to curb long-term costs.

Council colleagues Journet and Stamp emphasize improving the local SEND system and expanding opportunities for families without sacrificing quality.

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Independent councillor Wendy Stamp argues for funding and building specialist local schools rather than relying on temporary Portakabins, in order to meet diverse needs and cut travel.

Stamp criticizes the continued use of temporary facilities and urges timely investment in specialist local schools and expert teachers to reduce long-term travel costs.

The council’s published list of 25 Essex special schools shows no provision in Maldon, the district represented by Stamp.

The council’s budget includes a category for SEND and mainstream transport (details not fully specified in the point).

An opposition councillor argues for more local SEND provision to curb spiralling travel costs and calls for developing more local specialist schools and services.

A FOI release shows the home-to-school transport budget includes travel training, with 13,939 children receiving SEND-related transport as of April, up from 6,519 in April 2022, and some transport provided to students classified as mainstream.

The FOI also reveals the broader SEND and mainstream transport provision involves 25 different providers.

Sam Journet, Reform UK cabinet member for SEND, skills and education, acknowledges national pressures on SEND and highlights ongoing efforts to improve the local SEND system without compromising quality.