SPECIAL educational needs battles between parents and the council cost Wokingham borough taxpayers more than £12,000 last year.
Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) spent an average of £6,000 fighting two special educational needs tribunals in 2019.
READ MORE: Coronavirus latest from around Berkshire
Bosses splashed out on barristers to fight the council’s case against parents asking for more support for their vulnerable children.
Of the two cases WBC fought, it won one and compromised with parents on another.
According to figures from the department for education, the estimated cost for organising a tribunal is £2,380 to the government.
They typically cost the local authority approximately £4,100, and around £6,300 for the family.
READ MORE: Why coronavirus has delayed plans for an Islamic Community Centre in Bracknell
Latest available figures show 612 children in Wokingham borough have education, health and care plans.
These plans are legal documents which outline the support agreed between the council and the parents of special educational needs (SEN) children.
Help for these vulnerable children could include extra teaching support, additional technological aids and much more.
Neighbouring authority Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) spent just £2,600 on fighting SEN tribunals in 2019.
READ MORE: Fresh plans revealed for several homes at former garden centre
When asked through a Freedom of Information request how many tribunals it attended, BFC would not disclose this detail because of fears it would reveal the families identities.
Bosses told the News the number was fewer than five, however.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here