Extra money has been secured from the county council’s education pot to fund the new school for children with special educational needs in Okehampton which is currently being built.

A total £1.9 million will be spent on finishing the new special school in Okehampton, due to open in September 2022, with £840,000 also going towards another special school in the east of the county, the ACE Tiverton school.

Together, the two new schools will provide an additional 130 places in schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Members of the council’s ruling Cabinet were told that the new school due to open next year at East Okehampton Business Park had a construction budget of £8.8 million. However, an overspend of £1.9 million has arisen, which is being blamed on rising prices, design changes and a shortage of labour. As well as affecting the finances, the building of the project is being held up by these problems and the school is now not expected to be complete until February 2023. Council officers are working to find temporary accommodation so that it can hopefully open as planned in September 2022 and move into its permanent site later that school year.

Leader of the Labour group, Councillor Rob Hannaford (Exwick & St Thomas), welcomed ‘this significant investment in special school places’ provided by the two new schools and praised the work that has gone on behind the scenes. ‘I also think we need to flag up the fact that mainstream isn’t right for all pupils with special needs. No doubt when this goes out to the media there’ll be lots of comments on social media etc about the fact we’re investing in this area again, but it has to be what’s right for the children,’ he said.

The news comes as the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust announces public meetings to explain how it will run the new special school in Okehampton at St James Primary School on November 15 and 16 between 4pm and 6pm.

Michael Green, associate executive director of strategic development at the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, said: ‘With a free school, by law we have to run what is called a Section 10 consultation and really the purpose of this is to provide people with more information about the school. We have to ask whether the Secretary of State [for Education] should approve the funding agreement.’

The consultation period will run from November 1-18. The school, to be named The Promise Cooperative School, will cater for children aged four to 16 with social, emotional and mental health needs, though pupils will also have access to the mainstream facilities of other schools.

Dan Morrow, director of Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, said: ‘The school aims to fulfil the promise of every individual so that each child can reach their full potential.’