Issue - meetings

To receive any questions or petitions.

Notes:

1.    The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm four working days before the meeting (14 July 2023).

2.    The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting(13 July 2023)

3.    The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received.

The public retain their right to submit questions for written response, with such answers recorded in the minutes of the meeting; questioners may participate in meetings to ask a supplementary question. Petitioners may address the Committee on their petition for up to three minutes Guidance will be made available to any member of the public wishing to speak at a meeting.

1. There were four public questions, two Members’ questions and no petitions. The questions and responses were published as a supplement to the 20 July agenda.

2. In answer to a supplementary question by Anna Sutherland on whether the end-to-end review was requested by the Local Government Ombudsman, the Cabinet Member for Education and Learning said it was separate and planned by the Service.

3. Louise Gannon asked a supplementary question on how to access a refund for an independent Educational Psychologist assessment. She was directed to the web page by the Assistant Director for Inclusion & Additional Needs NE.

4. In response to a supplementary question by Amanda Lazenby, the Cabinet Member for Education and Learning said references to the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA), the Surrey Independent Advice Service and Family Voice would be added to the Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) video.

5. Colin Pugh asked what was being done to improve senior management’s governance and oversight of case handlers and their line managers.

6. The Chair noted SEND case workers were holding an average of 197 cases and wondered if the pressure of these workloads was a contributory factor to some negative experiences of Surrey parents and schools.

Actions/requests for further information:

1.    Cabinet Member for Education and Learning to provide a written answer to Colin Pugh’s public question.

2.    Assistant Director for Commissioning to add to the dataset: schools allocated that did not subsequently agree they could meet a child’s need.

Rebecca Jennings-Evans arrived at 10:20 am.