Parents have protested against the quality of services for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Devon’s schools.

Where’s Rishi? – Owl

By Bradley Gerrard & Will Goddard www.bbc.co.uk

Parents shared their experiences, with one calling the services “not fit for purpose”

The Devon SEND Parents and Carers for Change group gathered outside Exeter’s County Hall on Thursday.

Parents shared their experiences, with one calling the services “not fit for purpose”.

The council said it would introduce a new framework for support for those pupils in the coming months.

An inspection by education regulator Ofsted in 2022 said the county had “not made sufficient progress in addressing any of the significant weaknesses”.

It added that, despite a new strategy launched in 2020, it “fundamentally fails to address the significant weaknesses that were apparent at the previous inspection and are still evident now”.

‘Not fit for purpose’

Lee Farrell, from Upottery, has been fighting for the past two years to secure his 10-year-old daughter support from Devon’s SEND service.

“This council has been classed as inadequate for five years,” he said. “I would like to see the Department of Education remove educational services from this council and take them over themselves.

“They’re not fit for purpose.”

Another protester, Helen, has two children with special educational needs.

She said: “My oldest son is 15 now and ever since he started school I’ve spent the whole time trying to get support in place and trying to make Devon County Council fulfil their legal obligations,” she said.

“They blatantly break the law and nobody holds them to account.”

Councillor Lois Samuel, responsible for the service since last summer, said the “improvement journey that we’re on in Devon will take time”.

“We understand and recognise that many parents and carers remain frustrated at the pace of improvement, but the changes required involve whole system changes, along with the need for our responsibilities as a council to improve,” she added.

Devon County Council said it had hired a new director of SEND improvement and educational psychologists are working in 100 schools to support children with special educational needs and disabilities.

It said it was seeking more financial support from the government and was engaging with Essex County Council, its improvement partner.

It makes me ask the question: If Jupp is so proud to be an MP why didn’t he bring Sunak to the largest town in his present constituency? Why didn’t he take them to other towns in his present constituency? Why only Sidmouth and a town outside his constituency – Cullompton. Jupp is not a local MP at all. MP of nowhere in particular. 

Exmouth – Sewage capital – Libdems have the most town councillors on their town council – sewage tankers and one woman taking SWW to court. People claim they go past the office and never see anyone there. He couldn’t even be bothered to lay a wreath last year at the largest constituency town in his constituency with a large number of service personnel and veterans. Instead he chose to go to Sidmouth which doesn’t have a large number of military personnel or veterans.

Budleigh Salterton – school featured on Panorama. Sewage tankers on seafront.

Topsham – when was the last time Jupp went there?  Are they aware he is their MP? Maybe they think it’s Ben Bradshaw.

Cranbrook – when was the last time he went there? According to Paul Arnott at the scrutiny committee Cranbrook has sewage issues. Maybe they also think their MP is Ben Bradshaw.

Again an eagle-eyed correspondent has noticed that amongst the rapturous crowds at Cullompton’s Fordmore Farm Shop were: Sophie Ricards, Tory Councillor for Sidmouth Town and  Jenny Brown – Tory Councillor EDDC for Honiton St Michael’s. And, of course, Simon Jupp, MP for Everywhere and Nowhere.

Later, at Jupp’s Sidbury “farmers roundtable” press reports say farmers from Broadclyst, Talaton, Venn Ottery, Seaton, Sidbury, Sidmouth and Cullompton raised the challenges and opportunities facing the sector with Mr Sunak.

[The farmer’s lobby didn’t stop Richard Foord winning Tiverton and Tory “cheap food” Brexit policy has done them no favours.]

Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez was also in attendance, joined by local officers including from the Devon and Cornwall Police Rural Affairs Team and NFU representatives such as the Devon NFU County Chair, Paul Glanvill.

No wonder “poor value for money” Devon and Cornwall Police are in special measures.

A couple of social media post are worth highlighting:

Sophie Richards gushing about the ££ investment to fix potholes compared to County Leader John Hart “drop in the ocean” criticism!

And from Cllr John Louden

Too little too late from a millionaire PM who doesn’t seem to understand what Tory austerity has done to the regions over the years; and who makes “secret” visits to controlled audiences to avoid uncomfortable questioning. – Owl

Devon County Council leader John Hart said the authority had a growing pothole problem.

By Brodie Owen www.bbc.co.uk

The Prime Minister has promised more cash for potholes after the Tory leader of a Devon council criticised current funding as a “drop in the ocean”.

Speaking to BBC Radio Devon, Mr Sunak said the county would receive millions in extra funding to fix potholes in the next financial year.

But Devon County Council leader John Hart said the problem was growing.

He said: “We’ve got a backlog that’s getting bigger and bigger because we cannot cope with what we’ve got.”

On the second day of his visit to Devon and Cornwall, Mr Sunak said Devon would receive more money to fix potholes from the government’s savings on HS2.

“A chunk of that money has gone on highway maintenance, road resurfacing, pothole funds,” he said.

“Devon is actually going to get more funding starting this forthcoming financial year as a result of that HS2 decision to go into fixing potholes.”

‘We cannot cope’

Mr Hart said “the government knows they have a problem” with potholes.

“They’ve given us an extra £6.6m this year but that is a drop in the ocean,” he said.

“Last year they gave us £9.5m and, I hate to say it, but £7m of that went in inflation.

“We’ve got a backlog that’s getting bigger because we cannot cope with what we’ve got.”

Responding, Mr Sunak said: “The numbers I’ve got show that it’s growing next year – and that’s why we have to make priorities and decisions right.

“Obviously, I think everyone knows there isn’t a bottomless pit for these things.”

‘Important’ region

The PM also brushed off criticism of his dental plan from the British Dental Association, saying: “Everyone will have their views.

“I’m confident that it will make a difference.

“It’s a significant amount of money. It’s 2.5m appointments which will take us back to pre-Covid levels.”

He added that dentistry was a “big priority” for the South West and he said the region would be “important” at the next general election.

[Anyone likely to fix 8+ years of dental neglect for a mere £50? This is less than an annual MOT inspection which doesn’t fix anything. ]