Reform Lincolnshire cuts to children’s services have now surfaced in finance papers from a recent Overview and Scrutiny meeting. The information was not explained publicly; it sat buried in technical tables and appendix notes. This is the second time in a month that reductions in frontline services have appeared this way, rather than being announced openly.

Residents deserve clear information about decisions that affect children with additional needs, local schools and families. What we have instead is a pattern of delayed capital spending across core statutory services that Lincolnshire relies on.

What the papers reveal

The figures show delayed or rephased funding in several areas of Children’s Services. These include:

  • £12.832m for SEND pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans
  • This covers specialist places and facilities for children with the highest needs. Delays mean children wait longer for the support they need in the right setting.
  • £1.117m for basic need school places
  • This is funding to create places where roles are rising. Pushing this back risks pressure on schools already struggling with numbers.
  • £0.400m for new school classroom projects
  • Classroom expansions are central to managing growth, yet these have been pushed into later years.
  • £0.086m for the Lincoln Secure Unit
  • Even slight delays here matter, given the sensitive nature of the unit’s work.

These figures matter because capital delays in statutory services do not remove the need. They move the problem forward, creating pressure on families, headteachers and service managers.

Hidden decisions, growing risk

The Opposition Leader, Cllr Richard Davies, set out the concern clearly: the cuts are not being announced; they are creeping out through obscure tables under scrutiny. Residents expect openness. They expect Reform Lincolnshire to explain why millions for SEND pupils and school capacity are being deferred.

When £12m for SEND provision disappears into a future year, children still need places now. When classroom expansions are paused, local schools take the strain. This pattern adds risk and moves statutory responsibilities into an already stretched future.

Why this matters for Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire’s education and SEND system is under pressure. Delays in capacity planning have consequences:

  • More children are travelling long distances to appropriate places
  • Increased cost pressures on transport and out-of-county placements
  • Strain on mainstream schools trying to support pupils without the proper facilities
  • Families are left waiting for a provision that should already exist

At a time when councils nationwide are struggling with SEND budgets, hiding delays rather than explaining them undermines trust.

What should happen next?

Reform Lincolnshire needs to bring forward a clear explanation of:

  1. Why were these delays made
  2. What impact assessments were carried out for SEND pupils and local schools
  3. How they plan to meet statutory responsibilities during the delay period
  4. Whether further hidden reductions exist in other service areas

Lincolnshire needs stability and transparency in its financial decision-making. The current approach, where cuts appear only when councillors sift through technical finance reports, is not good enough for a county of this size.