Minutes:
The Chair opened the meeting and invited Councillor Izzi Seccombe to make a statement regarding events surrounding the complaints received about comments made at the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 January 2024.?
Councillor Seccombe acknowledged and expressed concern about the upset that had been caused by members of her Group and the repercussions on the Council, commenting on the damage to the Council’s relationship with the SEND community and the confidence which Warwickshire children with SEND, and their families, had in the Council.? She also expressed concern about the reputation of the Council.? She added that in undertaking their role, councillors should not be fearful of threat or abuse. In her closing comments, Councillor Seccombe offered unwavering commitment to supporting children with SEND and their families and doing all she could to redeem the Council’s relationship with the SEND community and to rebuild confidence between SEND families and the Council, setting out the steps that she intended to take.
?
The Leaders of each of the political groups were invited to respond.
?
Councillor John Holland (Labour) commented that he considered the best way to restore confidence in the Service was to deliver a good quality service with assessments of children’s needs completed in a timely way and ensuring that identified needs were met.? He expressed the view that it was important to deal with the complaints that had been received in an open and transparent way. Councillor Holland shared the view of his group that mandatory training was essential for all councillors.
?
Councillor Jerry Roodhouse (Liberal Democrat) expressed sadness and anger at the situation the Council found itself in and regret that the comments made at the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee had destroyed the hard work undertaken by staff which he found unacceptable. He expressed the view that the three councillors concerned should be removed from membership of the overview and scrutiny committee and felt that they should consider their own position and stand down. He urged the Leader to take swift action recognising that the volume of complaints was slowing down the investigation process. He commented on the need to support officers at this time and to reassure them of the Council’s commitment to work together on SEND and pursuing an integrated care pathway.
?
Councillor Jonathan Chilvers (Green) thanked parents from SEND groups for attending the meeting.? He expressed his distress about the views that had been voiced in the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny meeting which had shown a lack of understanding and empathy for the SEND community. He stressed the importance of parents, officers and councillors working together to support children with special needs.? In conclusion, Councillor Chilvers echoed calls for training and questioned whether Councillor Seccombe intended to suspend the whip from the councillors concerned.
?
Councillor Judy Falp (Independent) thanked the public for their attendance and stressed the importance of hearing parents’ voices. She expressed her concern about the impact of the statements made at the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee.? She acknowledged the impact on staff and those many councillors who had worked hard to create a Child Friendly Warwickshire.