CGI of how Betchwood Vale SEND school would look. Image: Design and Access statement Jestico & Whiles Associates Ltd.

From Emily Dalton

local democracy reporter

“Betchwood Vale Academy special needs school must go ahead,” according to new Dorking and Horley MP Chris Coghlan in his acceptance speech after the election, July 5.

Plans for the new school were scrapped in April after a judicial review was lodged, and Mole Valley District Council said it would be too expensive and time costly to defend.

Approximately 90 per cent of autistic children aged 7-19 years who live locally must travel every day to get the school provision that can meet their needs. Parents have said they are “devastated” at legal challenge and following delays for the much-needed SEND school.

“I wanted to inject a sense of urgency that the school needs to go ahead,” Mr Coghlan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Writing to the new Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson this week, Mr Coghlan has asked her to urgently update when the Department of Education will bring forward the additional information needed so the next planning application can go ahead.

Improving support and services for children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is the key local priority for newly elected Mr Coghlan. He said.   “It’s the number one social problem I can see. I want to do everything I can to raise my voice about this.”

Mr Coghlan, a Liberal Democrat, became the new Dorking and Horley constituency’s first non-Conservative MP at the recent general election.

The former Dorking (and then Mole Valley) constituency had been Conservative since the seat was formed in 1950. Mr Coghlan won the seat with a hearty 5,391 majority, overturning the Conservative’s previous stronghold.

Chris Coghlan, MP for Dorking & Horley

“I’ve heard horror story after horror story,” said Mr Coghlan. “I’ve met hundreds of parents across Dorking and Horley and not a single one has had a good experience with Surrey County Council.”

SCC is one of the worst in the country for not getting children’s Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) within the legal 20-week time limit. Around 1,658 EHCP requests were delayed in October 2023, with 148 waiting for more than a year.

“I do think SCC has treated parents disgracefully,” Mr Coghlan said. Parents in their desperation have taken SCC to court over the illegal delays and SCC has “not even bothered to turn up to the court hearings”, according to the new MP.

The local authority has said that through additional investment and focused work with families, the service has reduced the number of delayed EHCP requests to 56 by the end of June 2024.

Cllr Clare Curran

Cllr Clare Curran (Con), Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning at SCC, said:“53 per cent of EHCPs issued in May were done so within the statutory 20-week timescale, returning Surrey rates to above the 2023 national average of 50 per cent. We are striving to improve this further over the next few months and are aiming to reach 70 per cent timeliness during the autumn term.”

Local initiatives

Encouraging parents with SEND children to stand for the Liberal Democrats in next year’s County Council elections is one of Mr Coghlan’s priorities. He said: “I want parents with SEND children to be in charge of special needs provision because they are the best people to oversee this.”

Mr Coghlan said he felt “more optimistic” about a Labour government putting money into SEND provision.

Admitting there is a “chronic lack of central government funding,” he said he will speak in parliament so more funding can come out to support councils like Surrey.

At a local level, Mr Coghlan wants to use his experience in social enterprise to champion initiatives to help children with special needs to get the best educational and employment outcomes. “When there’s a shortage of public money,” he said, “it makes sense to champion charitable initiatives.”

Cllr Curran said: “We acknowledge as a council that we have not always got things right for all families and that the service received by some children and young people with additional needs and disabilities has not always been as good as we would like it to have been. We apologise to impacted families for that.

“We are committed to continuing to improve our services and a recent Local Area SEND Inspection found that, although there is more to do, the right actions are being taken and we are starting to see progress.

“We are resolute in our ambition to improve services and outcomes for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities so that they are happy, healthy, safe and confident about their future.”