The total amount of fines paid Surrey County Council for repeated failures within its education service over the last two years is climbing towards £1m.

Fines have increased from £47,000 in 2020 to more than £500,000 last year.

The majority of fines relate to missed education or missed education support provisions.

The council says the system doesn’t work for families, schools or local authorities and has asked the government for additional funding, and urgent reform.