Do not 'talk down' Surrey's SEND service, MPs told

The leader of Surrey County Council, Tim Oliver, has said MPs should not "talk down" the service which handles special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Liberal Democrat and Conservative MPs have written separate letters to Clare Curran, the councillor in charge of children's services, after she sent an email saying the department would respond to fewer SEND cases raised by constituents.

Curran told BBC Radio Surrey she wanted MPs to "ensure" that parents who were hoping to challenge decisions use the "correct" appeal processes.

The MP for Guildford, Zöe Franklin, said she was "stunned" to receive the email.

In a speech at a full council meeting on Tuesday, Oliver said Surrey County Council had more than 16,000 children with education health and care plans (EHCPs), one of the highest numbers in the country.

"I urge all our MPs to use your position to speak up for Surrey in Parliament, not to talk down a service that needs urgent national reform and support this council and government to implement reforms that work for our children, their families, and for all councils across the country," he said.

Curran told BBC Radio Surrey she understood the frustration that families have with SEND services and why they would want to speak to their MPs.

"I am purely asking those MPs to ensure that their constituents are aware of the correct channels of appeal," she said.

Franklin said she was "frankly stunned" to receive the email and that she'd had "no advance communications" indicating the council was concerned.

"I, for one, have 50 cases relating to SEND, so we are trying to support parents and families," she added.

She said people approaching her had already been through the proper procedure and that MPs were a "last resort" most of the time.

At the meeting, Woking's MP Will Forster, who is also a county councillor, said he had about 40 active SEND cases.

Eber Kington, from the Residents' Association and Independents group, said it was important that councillors and MPs did not have "communication barriers put in place by children's services."

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