Tensions continue between parents and Central Beds Council over SEND service 'shortcomings'

“That invitation will always be there as long as I’m director,” explained Central Bedfordshire Council’s head of children’s services Sue Harrison.

An extraordinary children’s services overview and scrutiny committee meeting was held to monitor the local authority’s special education needs and disability (SEND) progress after a critical report.

Committee vice-chairman and Conservative Shefford councillor Mark Liddiard asked the director of children’s services whether the Central Bedfordshire SEND action group had refused to engage with the council.

“Yes, they declined to meet with me,” she replied. “They want to be a pressure group and that’s their right to be one, but they did decline my offer of a meeting.”

Councillor Liddiard responded: “On public record, we have reached out and tried to consult with them, but they have declined their offer of engagement.”

“That’s correct,” she said before suggesting her team have an open door policy to SEND parents.

“Ask yourself, why?” interrupted Independent Biggleswade South councillor Hayley Whitaker. “Ask yourself why they wouldn’t.”

Conservative Arlesey councillor David Shelvey, who chairs the committee, said: “We’re not going to go back and discuss this now.”

Councillors were updated about progress on improving the six key areas of weakness identified, during the SEND joint area inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), in November 2019.

CBC and Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) submitted a written statement of action last month detailing their planned response to the report’s findings.

Ofsted and the CQC decided “the statement is deemed to be fit for purpose in setting out how the significant areas of weakness identified in the published report will be improved”.

But there remain some suggested areas for amendment.

As the meeting approached its two-hour duration, councillor Whitaker raised a point of order.

“You did say, at the beginning, chairman, non-committee members would be given an opportunity to ask questions,” she said.

Councillor Shelvey said he would “allow some questions in a minute, not necessarily everyone who wants to speak”.

Labour Parkside councillor Antonia Ryan asked: “If we allow this to continue, can we have another meeting set up so all our questions can be answered?

“We were told we wouldn’t have long presentations. We’ve been given them.

“Now we’re at a stage where councillors haven’t got the information residents have asked them to find out.”

Councillor Shelvey replied: “We need to go on a little longer. We need some recommendations to come out of it.”

Independent Aspley and Woburn councillor John Baker offered his recommendation, saying: “I think this meeting, stitched up with a whole bunch of pre-thought out questions, is going to go down so badly with the public.

“I think we should extend the meeting to make sure every member who’s joined has the chance to ask one question, as you said at the beginning.

“Some of these committee members have gone back for their third or fourth question, all of which are drivel.

“This is not a set-up by the Conservative Party. Well, it is.”

Councillor Shelvey stepped in to say: “I’m sorry you’re now making a statement. This is not a question, so thank you very much.”