Council leader defends 'world class' SEND officers

A council leader has defended his "world class" special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) officers after they came under fire from a senior councillor.

Sam Journet took aim at Essex County Council staff as he resigned as cabinet member for education in October, saying he was "shocked" by some civil servants at the local authority.

He criticised officers for refusing applications for children's education health and care plans (EHCP) in certain instances.

Peter Harris, his Reform UK colleague and council leader, told the BBC the civil servants were "highly professional".

"Our officers are absolutely fantastic and you would've heard me say many times that we have world class officers," he said.

"They do a fantastic job with children and education in Essex. I'm fully supportive of them."

Demand for EHCPs has soared in Essex since 2021. They are a legally binding document that sets out the support SEND young people need up to the age of 25.

They should be completed within 20 weeks from the initial request for assessment, but a County Hall report showed just 17% were done on time as of July.

Journet had said he wanted to be hitting the 80-90% mark by July 2027.

But in Journet's resignation letter, he wrote: "Some of what I've seen from civil servants has shocked me and doesn't sit comfortably with me.

"EHCP requests have been refused and there have been cases where I directed officers that a decision be reconsidered and that did not happen."

The councillor also said he wanted more time to "focus" on his role as leader of the Reform group on Basildon Council.

Speaking to the BBC, Harris said of Journet's remarks: "People have differences of opinion from time to time and that's what happens in politics sometimes.

"I'm fully supportive of our officers, they're doing a fantastic job, they're highly professional."

He stressed Journet had done a "fantastic job" and teased that the authority would be making "the biggest investment in SEND education this county has ever seen", but did not give more detail.

Journet remains a backbench member at Essex County Council.

Isi Rocha, who represents Halstead division, was selected as his successor on Monday.

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