MORE concerns have been raised about how changes in York's special needs education will work.

All four of the city's special schools are to close in 2004 and to be replaced by two new special schools for those children with the most severe special needs.

The other children will be given places at mainstream schools instead.

Councillor Charles Hall, the Liberal Democrats' shadow executive member for education, said he welcomed the plans.

But he said: "The level of care pupils with learning difficulties receive in mainstream schools must be at a similar level to that which they would have received in special schools. If not, there is a real risk that these pupils could become lost in the system, and that would be a tragedy for all concerned.

"If the number of staff with special needs teaching skills are sufficient for the numbers of pupils within a school, then there is no reason why these children should not receive a sound education. I do have real concerns, however, that should insufficient finance be provided to schools taking on large numbers of special needs pupils, we will see a level of support given to these children that is inadequate for their educational needs."

Coun Janet Looker, executive member for education, said any child currently in the system would have a personal plan made for them to sort out what sort of education would be most suitable for them, and that would be funded.

She said most of the money for the pupils who would go to mainstream schools would be money that was now spent on special school places. Statements would continue to be drawn up outlining the kind of support children should be given.

"This is not a cost-saving exercise - we're not doing this to save money. We're doing it to use money more efficiently and to give children a better education and we will spend what it takes."

Updated: 11:39 Tuesday, July 30, 2002