Richmond Council is one of five in the country being given millions of pounds by the government to plug gaps in the funding for children with special educational needs.

On Friday (March 19) the government announced financial agreements with the council over the next five years.

Kingston, Hammersmith and Fulham, Bury and Stoke-on-Trent councils have also secured agreements.

The long-awaited move was welcomed by Richmond's finance lead, Cllr Robin Brown, who told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Richmond Council was "delighted" with the result. Richmond Park MP Sarah Olney said: "This is fantastic news for SEND education in Richmond and one from which our children and young people, families and local schools will all benefit from."

Reforms to SEND provision introduced in 2014 meant both Richmond and Kingston councils spent far more on providing services for local children than they received in government funding.

This is because the funding formula had been assuming that because places like Richmond and Kingston are relatively well-off, they would have fewer children with special needs.

This placed stress on both councils' finances.

By the end of this financial year the gap between spending and funding for Richmond Council would have reached £18 million.

Now the government will give Richmond Council an additional £6 million of funding by the end of the current financial year (March 31 2021) and an additional £9 million to Kingston Council.

Further payments will be spread over the following four years with the aim of reducing the deficit to zero by 2025.

These additional payments are subject to both councils continuing to make good progress with their SEND Futures plans and will require them to make some contributions from their own resources, up to £1 million a year.

Cllr Brown said the council was pleased with the agreement, having lobbied the government on the issue since 2018, and sent eight letters to government ministers on the issue.

But the funding will only go part of the way to plug the gap.

"If I had a magic wand I would have all the deficit, the £18 million that's going to be there at the end of the year, paid off in one go," he said.

Nevertheless, he said he was "hopeful" the deficit would be wiped out by 2025.

"It's a stretching but achievable plan. It's not completely without risk," he said.

He also acknowledged the problems the council has been facing with SEND provision in the last year.

In January 2020 the council was required by the Local Government Ombudsman to conduct an audit into the Education, Health and Care Plans issued to children to help support them at school.

"It's been challenging for many councils up and down the country since 2014 to adapt to the new regime and we haven't always got things absolutely right, but we are absolutely committed to doing that," said Cllr Brown.

"What I want to reassure people in Richmond is that our focus is very much on improving the way we deliver SEND and making sure it's fit for purpose in terms of meeting the needs of children that we've got. We're not going to compromise on that."

MP for Twickenham Munira Wilson also said she was "absolutely delighted" with the recent funding package, having secured a debate and asked a number of questions on the issue in parliament.

"In the end it shouldn't be a party political issue. It's about the best interests of the children," she said.

"I will fight for every family to be able to access the services and the support that they need."