Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council are both set to receive new Government funding to create more school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The Department for Education has announced a record £860 million high needs capital allocation for 2026/27, aimed at expanding specialist provision, adapting mainstream schools and creating more inclusion bases.
Bedfordshire allocations
The published allocations show Bedford Borough Council will receive £2,174,832 for 2026/27.
That takes Bedford Borough’s total high needs provision capital allocation for 2021 to 2027 to £11,827,339.
Central Bedfordshire Council will receive £3,547,475 for 2026/27.
Its total capital allocation for high needs provision for 2021 to 2027 now stands at £25,227,770.
Central Bedfordshire is also listed in the Government’s Alternative Places Grant allocations.
The council is due to receive £3,282,500 in 2026/27 and the same again in 2027/28, giving a total of £6,565,000 through that separate funding stream.
The Government said this grant is for councils receiving equivalent per-pupil funding instead of a special or alternative provision free school.
More places closer to home
Ministers said councils will be expected to prioritise increasing places in mainstream schools, while ensuring there is enough specialist and alternative provision for children with the most complex needs.
The Government said the aim is to help more children attend school closer to home and reduce the number travelling long distances for support.
The announcement also said councils should use the funding to create more inclusive physical spaces and expand inclusion bases in mainstream schools.
As previously reported by the Bedford Independent, Bedford Borough Council said last year that its Local Area SEND inspection had identified areas for further work, including improving support for children and young people with SEND in mainstream settings.
At the time, the council said this would be taken forward through its Local Area Partnership and Joint SEND Strategy.
Read: Bedford Borough Council details SEND priorities following national focus on inclusion
The Department for Education said the funding forms part of a wider package worth more than £3 billion, describing it as the largest-ever single high-needs capital allocation.
The Government also announced £500 million a year through its Inclusive Mainstream Fund for nurseries, schools and colleges, alongside more than £2.1 billion in school and sixth form college maintenance funding for 2026/27
