Issue - meetings

David Adams (Assistant Director Education (South Kent) and Christine McInnes,(Director of Education and SEN) were in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr Love (Cabinet Member for Education and Skills) introduced the report and advised Members that this was the first time that the Council had produced a Sufficiency Plan for Special Educational Needs (SEN) Provision. Whilst the Kent Commissioning Plan (KCP) for Education Provision had included a section on SEN, this document contained a detailed analysis to help inform and support SEND educational provision in the longer-term.

2.    Mr Adams advised that the Sufficiency Plan had proven to be an effective tool that aided clarity and transparency around the future demand of SEN provision. The plan would enable better planning of local need via local solutions and was stringently linked to the KCP in regards to the capital programme and the commissioning recommendations. The plan also included a number of recommendations around further improvement and the associated activity to support this. Mr Adams noted that whilst responses to the consultation of the plan had been limited, they were generally supportive, particularly in relation to helping partners inform their planning.

3.    Further to comments and questions from Members, it was noted:

·         The Sufficiency Plan would take into consideration the recent review of Early Years education provision in Kent which was presented to the Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee in January 2024.

·         The Leader noted the importance of the Sufficiency Plan in relation to the Safety Valve work.

4.    RESOLVED to agree to the recommendations as outlined in the report.