Overview
- At a Westminster press conference on Monday, Tice said SEND spending is “out of control” and warned councils could struggle to fund basics like bin collections and pothole repairs, while touting savings and pothole fixes by Reform-run authorities.
- He argued neurodiverse conditions such as ADHD are being overdiagnosed and called children wearing ear defenders in class “insane.”
- He proposed ending annual Education, Health and Care Plan reviews, which he said cost £2,000–£4,000 each, shifting decisions back to schools, and curbing council-funded taxi transport.
- Disability charities and education unions condemned the remarks, saying families are not profiteering, necessary adjustments like ear defenders help children learn, and the crisis stems from underfunding.
- Independent research from the County Councils Network and Isos Partnership projects SEND high-needs debts rising to £17.8bn by 2029, with councils relying on a statutory override extended to March 2028 to keep deficits off their books.