A Dudley councillor declared she 'would not give a toss' if the council was down to its last pound as long as children were cared for.

Cllr Sue Ridney, Dudley shadow cabinet member for children and young people, was speaking at a meeting of the authority's Social Care and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee on September 8.

The committee was told by senior officers that provision for the education of children with special needs was benefiting from the council's finding extra venues to increase capacity near schools, which was also easing financial pressure.

A report signed by Gerard Jones, Dudley interim director of children's services, said: "The cost saving for this cannot be underestimated.

"Work is ongoing to track the trajectory of pupils placed in these provisions and to assess the fin

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