Slough BC has been asked to do further work on its special educational needs & disabilities reform plan by the Department for Education, the council has confirmed.

This means the unitary, which is under strict financial measures with government-appointed commissioners, is not currently eligible to have 90% of its historic dedicated schools grant deficit written off.

As LGC reported earlier this week, more than 90% of Send reform plans were approved by the department with around a dozen rejected and asked to do further work. Other councils without approval include Liverpool City Council, Lewisham LBC, West Berkshire Council and Thurrock Council.

In a statement, the council said the plan had been “deferred and a revised version will be submitted later this year”.

Approval of the reform plans is a condition of the department covering 90% of councils’ DSG deficits accumulated to the end of 2025-26.

Slough was instructed to supply DfE with extra evidence and further detail relating to its plans on capital and expansion planning. It was assessed as ‘working toward’ the required standard, rather than ‘requirements not met’.

Interim director of children’s services Debbie Jones said this gave the council “confidence that the foundations are in place and that the remaining work is achievable”.

She added: “We have continued to develop our proposals since submitting the plan and have already implemented a number of the department’s recommendations. We are now focused on strengthening the remaining elements and expect to complete this work by the end of October.”

The unitary is under statutory intervention after issuing a section 114 notice in 2021 and received £42.9m of exceptional financial support in principle for 2026-27.