Senior councillor quits after clash over SEND plans

A senior councillor has resigned after clashing with his officers about provision for children with special educational needs.

Sam Journet has been the cabinet member for education, SEND and skills at Essex County Council since Reform UK took control of the local authority in May.

In a public letter addressed to the council leader, he said his "focus" needed to be on his new role, which he described as leader of the opposition at Basildon Council.

However, he also took issue with officers at Essex on occasions where they have refused applications for children's education, health and care plans (EHCPs).

"Some of what I've seen from civil servants has shocked me and doesn't sit comfortably with me," he wrote, in the letter addressed to leader Peter Harris.

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

"I wasn't asking for a particular outcome. I was asking for decisions to be looked at again because of the struggles SEND children and their families are facing in our community."

An Essex County Council spokesperson said: "SEND is a complex and emotive issue for many families. We remain committed to improving services, reducing backlogs and ensuring children and young people receive the support they need.

"Our dedicated officers continue to work hard to deliver that ambition."

SEND stands for special educational needs and disabilities.

An EHCP is the legally-binding document setting out the support children need up to the age of 25.

A local authority may refuse to issue an EHCP if it feels the child's needs can be met from already available resources or additional school support.

The process should legally be completed within 20 weeks from the initial request for an assessment, to the final plan being issued.

According to a recent county council report, the council was issuing 17% of EHCPs within this timeframe.

In September, Journet told the BBC he wanted to be hitting the 80-90% mark by next July.

Journet has talked openly about having special educational needs and disabilities himself.

Conservative Ross Playle told the BBC he was "sorry" to see the cabinet member go and that Journet's own background "should be an inspiration to others and an achievement".

But Playle said Journet's EHCP targets were "lofty" and he added: "We're never going to have the opportunity to hold him to account to those words."

Independent councillor Wendy Stamp said she was "shocked" by Journet's resignation.

"I don't think it does our SEND community any favours at the moment because to appoint a new cabinet member, to get them up to speed, is not an easy task."

Essex County Council has been investing extra money in the EHCP process - spending more on educational psychologists - as part of what it has called Operation Backlog.

In September, councillors were told the volume of EHCP requests in Essex had increased by 1,900 - up to 4,706 - compared with five years ago.

Journet remains a backbench member at Essex County Council. He said he was appointed leader of the opposition at Basildon on Monday night.

The three largest parties all have 12 councillors on Basildon Borough Council after an independent joined Reform UK last week.

The Conservatives continue to run the authority as a minority administration.

Sam Journet posted on social media that he "was proudly appointed Leader of the Opposition at Basildon Council" on Monday night.

However, Basildon Council said there was no official leader of the opposition position in its constitution.

A spokesperson said: "It is a courtesy title that is accorded to the group leader of the largest party which is not part of the administration."

It was decided on Monday that, with Reform and Labour on the same number of councillors, Journet would be recognised "as a leader of the opposition" and Labour's Gavin Callaghan "continues in his role as a Leader of the Opposition", Basildon Council said.

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