SEND parents 'cut off' from speaking at council meeting in Northampton after damning Ofsted report

A parent who was cut off by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) whilst speaking about the pain of finding her seven-year-old son specialist provision has called her dismissal “disgusting”.

A host of parents with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) attended full council on Thursday evening (July 18) to share their experiences after the publication of a brutal report into the authority’s services last week.

The partnership in West Northamptonshire has been told they must “urgently” address their failings and do better for vulnerable children who require support in the county.

Five parents were given the opportunity to speak during public participation at the start of the meeting. The women, wearing black t-shirts reading ‘we will not be silenced’ were called forward one by one.

Some were abruptly cut off and others were told they would not be given the full three minutes as they did not apply to speak on a SEND-specific agenda item.

Joanne Coolen took the stand to speak about her son Charlie, seven, who has autism, and the trauma he experienced from being moved around mainstream schools and not receiving the correct support. She said her family are at week 69 of waiting for an education health and care plan (EHCP) when the time limit is 20 weeks.

She told members that her son, who has now been out of education for ten months, has been “utterly failed” by the system. Her speech was cut off by newly-appointed chair Councillor Jo Gilford, with time still remaining on the clock.

Ms Coolen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting: “I found the attitude towards myself and others speaking reflective of the council’s attitude towards children with SEND. Dismissive and disrespectful.

“We had a democratic right to speak last night. We followed the correct procedures. Having that democratic right taken away by the chair was disgusting.

“Councillor Baker has presided over years of systematic failure, there needs to be accountability.

“I thought the council was there for the people to serve the people, but without wanting to listen to our voices, I would say they’re only there to serve themselves.”

Another parent and speaker, Victoria McConachie, commented that she felt her child had been “silenced”. Her microphone was cut whilst she was reading a letter written to the council by her ten-year-old daughter Amelie about her damaging experience in mainstream school with ADHD, autism and selective mutism.

Outrage echoed around the chamber throughout the night, with many councillors questioning why the parents had been shut down.

Councillor Adam Brown, leader of WNC, told the meeting that the decisions on timings ultimately rest with the chair after coming under fire for the parents’ rushed speeches.

He added: “Whilst I think it’s very important that members are kept very strictly to time I think there is a strong case for some flexibility to be shown to members of the public, especially when they wish to speak on such an emotive subject.”

Calls for the children’s services cabinet member, Cllr Fiona Baker, to resign were also reignited by Labour group leader Councillor Wendy Randall.

Standing her ground, Cllr Baker said: “I won’t be resigning. I have the full support of all of my colleagues and all of the team within the education department.

“When you read the Ofsted report they actually did say that they are happy with the leadership, of which I am one.

“I would like to offer my grateful thanks to all those brave women who came this evening and told us of their traumatic story.

“No apology that I give will make up for the lives that they have led with their children, which I fully recognise as I have these children in my own family.

“We are all working as hard as we can together to make a difference to these families.”

A spokesperson for West Northants SEND Action Group said: “If West Northants Council is serious about making improvements for our children they have an odd way of showing it.

“They chose not to give registered speakers their democratic right to speak. Parents quite understandably want to have a say and if WNC really wants to do better then they need to listen instead of continuing to silence us.”