A new cabinet support role focused on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services is being proposed by Staffordshire County Council, at a cost of just over £14,000 a year.
If approved, the new Cabinet Support Member would take responsibility for SEND services provided to children and young people across the county. It would bring the total number of cabinet support members to four.
Elected members were asked to approve the new post at the full council meeting on Thursday, 17th July. The proposal was questioned by the council’s Conservative opposition group.
Under the previous Conservative administration, former councillor Jonathan Price managed both education and SEND services. Under the new Reform UK-led cabinet, the dedicated SEND role would be entitled to claim up to £14,307.01 in Special Responsibility Allowance during the current financial year, according to the council’s constitution.
Council leader Ian Cooper, who took office following Reform UK’s local election success, said improving SEND support was one of the new administration’s four core priorities.
Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Cooper said:
“We feel it is so important it does require additional help and support to deliver the kind of services we want for our children across the whole of Staffordshire.
I would like to put forward this recommendation and have our colleague (Councillor Alex Hunt), who is a trained psychologist in his own right. He actually went through the system, so he has previous experience of this.”
Councillor Hunt, who was elected in May to represent Cannock Chase’s Chadsmoor division, clarified he was an assistant psychologist.
Conservative councillor Conor Wileman raised concerns about cost, asking:
“What is the person going to do in that role, bearing in mind the previous cabinet member under the Conservative administration managed that portfolio on his own and now there will be two positions to manage?”
Councillor Cooper responded:
“We will come back with the detail of the cost, I am happy to do that. I think this is such an important area that it requires that extra attention.
You might not think that, but we think we owe the people of Staffordshire and these children that duty of care. As much help as we can give to deliver the best service possible is the way forward.
You may take it more lightly and think it is not worthy of investment. But we think our children are worthy of that investment.”
Councillor Philip White, the former deputy leader and now opposition group leader, said the SEND agenda was one where councillors across the chamber could work together. But he added:
“Regarding this additional spending, we as councillors are stewards of taxpayers’ money.
This is money we could spend on something else if it is not spent on this allowance for a politician. That money could be spent on delivering services to children with special educational needs.
We hear what you are saying in terms of the difficulties in this area and we do understand that. But if we are going to vote to support this we would like some proper detail of what this person is going to do.
We support the overall endeavour in terms of SEND. But we need more detail if we are going to support this today.”
Councillor Cooper replied:
“It was in our manifesto that we were going to try and help and support these children across Staffordshire to the best of our ability. We will find the money to do that.
We think these kids – the most vulnerable in society – are the most deserving. I know you don’t care in terms of that and you’re more interested in the money, but I’m thinking about the children.”
Councillor Catherine Brown said:
“I’m very disappointed that you’re bringing this all down about children’s services – we are all here to stand for our residents and children. To turn it round and say that we don’t believe in everything that should be possible for these children is pretty appalling and pretty low.”
Councillor Syed Hussain, now the authority’s sole Labour member, added:
“I have no doubt all of us want nothing but the very best for SEND children. I don’t want anybody to use this as a political football.”
