Agenda item

1.      Mr Streatfeild proposed, and Mr Passmore seconded the motion that

“The Council notes:

a.    The decision taken by the Scrutiny Committee on 24^th April 2024 to disband the SEND Sub-Committee and bring the issue back to main committee agenda.

b.    The work that has been undertaken by this council as part of the APP.

The Council resolves to:

a.    Agree that there is still work to be done to achieve the level of SEND provision required by children and parents in Kent, and the statutory guidance as set by national government.

b.    Agree that public scrutiny of the process has been weak which undermines assurance to children with SEND and their parents.

c.    Recommend to the Scrutiny Committee that it establish a public Short Focused Inquiry (SFI) on KCC’s SEND Provision to:

i.      to scrutinise the success of the APP for SEND considering DFE findings in May 2024. 

ii.    to assure Kent residents that the system of SEND in Kent will be successful and sustainable.

d.    Recommend that the inquiry should be chaired by a member of the opposition.

e.    Recommend that the inquiry will report in no more than six months and meet publicly at least once a month to give the correct level of assurance to Kent residents.

f.     Recommend that the inquiry, in pursuit of its objective, should seek to explore, among other important elements, the following key issues and make relevant recommendations to the Executive on these topics

i.              Why does Kent have 5% of its children with an EHCP? 

ii.            Is the NHS supporting a successful sustainable system?

iii.           How are Kent’s schools supporting a sustainable system? 

iv.           What is KCC doing to support a successful sustainable system?

v.            What does it cost to support a successful sustainable system?  

vi.           Are children and parents reassured the APP will work in an appropriate timeframe?

g.    Recommend that evidence should be taken from, but not limited to the following groups: children, parents’, schools, NHS, DFE, SIAB and KCC Officers.”

2.      Following the debate, the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 1 to the vote.

For (16)

Mr Campkin, Mr Chittenden, Ms Constantine, Mrs Dean, Mr Harman, Ms Hawkins, Mr Hood, Mr Hook, Mr Lehmann, Mr Lewis, Ms Meade, Mr Passmore, Mr Sole, Mr Stepto, Mr Streatfeild, Dr Sullivan

Against (40)

Mr Baker, Mr Barrington-King, Mr Bartlett, Mrs Bell, Mrs Binks, Mr Broadley, Miss Carey, Mr Carter, Mrs Chandler, Mr Collor, Mr Cole, Mrs Cole, Mr Cooper, Mr Crow-Brown, Mr Dance, Mr Dendor, Mr Gough, Ms Hamilton, Mr Hill, Mr Hills, Mrs Hohler, Mr Holden, Mr Jeffrey, Mr Kite, Mr Love, Mr Marsh, Mr McInroy, Mr Meade, Mr Murphy, Mr Oakford, Mrs Parfitt-Reid, Mr Rayner, Mr Ridgers, Mr Robey, Mr Sandhu, Mr Shonk, Mr Simkins, Mr Thomas, Mr Watkins, Ms Wright

Abstain (0)

Motion lost.