Kent County Council has issued a formal statement rejecting claims that it mishandled education services and misled families in Sittingbourne regarding budget savings. The council, which has been under Reform UK leadership since the 2025 local elections, is facing intense criticism over its management of children’s services and the delivery of promised special educational needs (SEND) facilities.
The council statement, released on February 11, 2026, was a response to accusations from Polly Billington MP (East Thanet). She suggested that local leaders used “fantasy economics” to hide a financial crisis, specifically questioning a claimed £39.5 million in savings from cancelled projects. Billington argued there is no evidence to support such a reduction in spending while the county’s schools are struggling.
In its rebuttal, the council stated that these allegations are unfounded and based on a “fundamental misunderstanding” of public finance management. Officials maintained that their budget plans are realistic and necessary to handle the high costs of providing support for children and young people, following a recent Ofsted downgrade of the department.
The dispute comes as families in Sittingbourne face significant local pressure. Two new special schools promised for the area have been delayed until 2028. These delays have contributed to a 28 per per cent surge in SEND pupils being placed in private school settings because of a lack of available capacity in local state-run schools.
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