Issue - meetings

To receive and consider a report containing the SEND Strategy.

Jim Leviers presented the SEND Strategy report which was set out in Agenda pages 35-52.

Jim Leivers stated that this was a draft strategy, the service was taking into account the regulator’s comments and including more elements to the strategy.  He expected that the strategy would go back to Executive in early Autumn and come back to this Committee for a further review.

During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:

·           In response to a question Jim Leivers stated that two applications had been made to the DfE for new schools, one had been turned down.  The other application was for a joint school with Reading had been approved.  This was now pending identification of suitable land to build the school.  It was anticipated that this school would be able to offer 150 places;

·           In response to a question Jim Leivers stated that the strategy had been consulted upon and that around 20 responses were received, mostly by parents;

·           In response to a question Jim Leivers stated that in order to create a system to collect money from placements, it would be necessary to spend a lot of money setting it up, and he was of the opinion that this option was not cost effective;

·           In response to a question Jim Leivers stated that Reading had been asked to identify the land for the new school.  However, the discussions were ongoing and there would be no major impact until 2022/23.  Places would be split between authorities;

·           Jim Leivers stated that there was a need to work together with health and parents in developing the strategy;

·           Members noted that on page 50 it stated that ‘the delivery of this strategy was not the responsibility of a single agency’, they felt that the Local Authority should be the primary agency with responsibility for the strategy.  Jim Leivers agreed to review the wording;

·           In response to a question Darryl Ward confirmed that school governors had been consulted on the strategy.

RESOLVED That:

1)     The SEND Strategy be confirmed as the basis for further work with key partners;

2)     Detailed consideration is given by the newly established SEND Improvement Board to the advice of Ofsted/CQC regarding the development of the future SEND Strategy; and

3)     The SEND Strategy will be brought back to the Committee for consideration at the September meeting.