Before leaving Westminster for the Parliamentary Summer Recess I was interviewed by ITV Anglia’s Neil Barbour about SEND tribunals in Cambridgeshire. His programme on the impact it is having on families across the county will be broadcast in August.
You may have seen me already raise the issue with the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, in Parliament on Monday. Under the current system fewer than 10% of EHCPs are processed within the 20-week statutory timeframe. I spoke to Neil about the tribunal system that sees 99% of tribunals rule in favour of the appellant; a process that costs one £1 million a year.
The issues of SEND provision and EHCP delivery are one of the biggest issues raised to me in correspondence from constituents. I will continue to highlight the issue until either the Government, or Cambridgeshire County Council, are prepared to address the issue and outline their solution to the problem.
