PLANS to take £120,000 from schools in Monmouthshire to pay for a new additional learning needs (ALN) plan has come under fire.

Councillor Debby Blakebrough disagreed with putting additional pressures on schools and said the move was "a best bit of cunning accountancy by Monmouthshire County Council (MCC)."

The proposal seeks to develop an effective and coherent inclusion package which supports the identification of children with special education needs.

The report says that schools could fund the plans through a Service Level Agreement (SLA) meaning schools would pay anything from £2,000 to £6,000. The remainder of the £120,000 would be paid by MCC.

The report cites that schools do not have to contribute to the SLA, however failing to do so would lead to cost implications for the council.

MCC's cabinet will meet today (15th April) with a view to approving the next stage of the ALN strategy.