Newsletter - Tue 28 May, 2024
By David Grantham
This issue’s main pieces are on: Labour selecting its candidate for the General Election; concerns about support for neurodiverse pupils in Surrey schools; and Reigate & Banstead’s mayor, leader and executive for the new municipal year. But before that, news in brief.
General Election, Thursday 4 July: the official list of candidates won’t be published until 7 June, but those known to be looking to become Reigate’s next MP are:
Beglan, George (Reform UK): website here (Opens in a new window)
Brady, Stuart (Labour): website here (Opens in a new window)
Essex, Jonathan (Green): website here (Opens in a new window)
Johnston, Mark (Liberal Democrat): website here (Opens in a new window)
Paul, Rebecca (Conservative): website here (Opens in a new window)
(News of Stuart Brady’s selection is in this issue, Mark Johnston’s was covered in November (Opens in a new window), and Rebecca Paul’s in July (Opens in a new window). George Beglan’s and Jonathan Essex’s will be reported shortly, and any others.)
EHCPs: Surrey is to pay £8,700 compensation to a young man, Mr M, who was left without formal schooling since at least 2021 following problems with the way the local authority handled his Education, Health and Care needs assessment, and processes around it. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman made a number of recommendations when it heard the case, which Surrey says it has now carried out. The council has also said that it has worked hard to catch up with overdue reviews and assessments, helped by £15m of funding to build team capacity. The full article from the Local Democracy Reporter is here (Opens in a new window).
Information wanted: Police have issued (Opens in a new window) an appeal after reports of burglary and criminal damage at Buckland Park Lake, believed to have taken place between 3pm and 7pm on Sunday 12 May. Anyone with information is asked to contact police online (Opens in a new window) or by calling 101, quoting PR/45240053615, or anonymously at independent charity Crimestoppers (Opens in a new window).
Labour selects Stuart Brady as their General Election candidate for Reigate
Stuart Brady (pictured) has been announced as Labour’s candidate for Reigate in the General Election on 4 July.
He began his career as a professional rugby player and is now a sports barrister.
Following the announcement, Brady said: “Reigate, Redhill and the villages have got so much to offer. As a family we love the sport we play in Chipstead, Banstead, and Woodmansterne. Being members of sports and community groups here, I would relish the chance to be Reigate’s MP so I can do everything to make sure that everyone, young and old gets the support they deserve when they need it.”
He added: “After the last fourteen years we know that it’s time that economic competence and good governance are put back at the centre of our country’s government. As a barrister, I am very keen to ensure that happens and that people start to see their mortgage rates come down as a result.”
Picture via Reigate Labour Party
Neurodiverse children being ‘let down’ in Surrey
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County Cllr Fiona Davidson (centre) speaking with head teacher Kerry Oakley online (bottom right)
By Emily Dalton, Local Democracy Reporter
The text of this article has been updated since it was first published
Schools say they are “on the front line” in supporting children with neurodevelopmental (ND) needs as support was described as “impossible to access”.
Surrey’s Mindworks neurodiversity pathway is “letting us down”, said one Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) worker in a meeting at Surrey County Council on Friday, 10 May.
Conditions, including autism, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), describe people who present with differences in their neurodevelopment which affects how their brain works. Rather than one sole organisation, Mindworks is a group of partnerships which work together to provide pathways of treatment and support for children with mental health and neurodivergent (ND) issues.
New referrals for neurodivergence diagnoses were “paused” by Mindworks on 1 September, 2023, in a collective decision by Surrey and Borders Partnerships (SABP), the ICB and others. Although new referrals opened again on 1 December of the same year with new criteria, Surrey schools and parents have claimed they are struggling to get the help that they need.
Kerry Oakley, a head teacher from Carrington Secondary School spoke of how children with ND needs were struggling to access aspects of the school curriculum, social interactions and self-regulation. Ear defenders, exit cards, uniform adjustments, amended timetables and quiet spaces were some of the many sensory adjustments Miss Oakley said she was making to support ND students.
Lack of communication surrounding referrals was the “biggest challenge” facing her students and staff who may not have the skills to support ND issues. “We become the middle people”, Miss Oakley said, as she received the brunt of outbursts or non-attendance from distressed students and frustrated parents, leading to the breakdown of relationships. She spoke of how students were waiting for months on end without any feedback from consultation.
Cllr Fiona Davidson said: “Parents and schools tell councillors that they feel completely abandoned because Mindworks […] has given up providing frontline neurodevelopmental screening and assessment.” She added that from the perspective of schools and parents, “the responsibility has been wholly handed over to schools without a proper transition or preparation.”
Calling ND diagnosis and support “impossible to access” and “so rationed as to be hardly worthy having”, councillors asked how children could best be supported and treated if no diagnoses were taking place. A spokesperson from SABP has now said: “At no point has Mindworks stopped screening, assessing and diagnosing children and young people already on the waiting list.”
Paused for three months, the committee expressed concerns there was no timescale of when referrals would be processed and that the issues of diagnoses would not go away.
Meeting documents report that the Mindworks ND pathway re-opened on December 1, 2023. It is currently open to school referrals for screening, assessment and diagnosis. Those experiencing high levels of mental distress and unable to participate in school will be referred to the Mindworks team for further support.
Approximately 7,300 cases are on ND pathways and around 3,600 children are waiting for a diagnosis of autism and/or ADHD. It was noted that 900 children are waiting for ADHD medication due to national delays and shortages.
The committee noted children with Autism or ADHD could be placed on social support pathways, and some children with ADHD could receive medication if needed. However, ADHD and Autism present themselves differently in every case with some individuals having both conditions.
County Councillor Jonathan Essex said: “If you don’t diagnose everyone, if you close that front door, then you are choosing to ration and delay who gets support and when they get support.”
Previously operating on a model of neurodiversity presenting itself in 1 per cent of the population, Cllr Trefor Hogg said it was more likely to be between 2-4 per cent.
Staff were “absolutely inundated” with about 4,000 referrals in less than six months, a Surrey Mindworks officer said. She added the 26 clinical staff were spending all their time processing referrals, rather than completing diagnosis assessments and supporting schools with their expertise.
Demand has outstripped capacity since the beginning of the contract. The number of referrals grew to 40 per day on average, with the highest being 91 referrals in one day. The service is commissioned to reach 10 – 15 referrals per week. Around 183% more referrals were made than Surrey Mindworks was contracted for in 2023/24, an officer said.
Surrey Mindworks said it has seen substantial growth in the presentation of need. Mindworks previously operated on an NHS medical model based on diagnosis and treatment to make someone better.
As demand has increased, Mindworks said it “recognised” this is not the right solution: it is now operating on a cultural shift to a “social model” where it aims to offer practical support to improve the environment of the ND child.
Graham Wareham, Chief Executive of Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust (SABP) said: “The door is not closed, it’s now changed shape.” He added: “If the treatment is the social model of treatment then waiting for a diagnosis does not delay practical support for child and family.”
Reporting to the committee, Mindworks officers said rather than trying to diagnose all the children queued on a waiting list, it is trying to “engage quickly, educate others, do our best to identify what is contributing to their difficulty and try and see what support can be available to them immediately.”
Councillors said they were “not assured” there was a plan with timelines, activities, accountability and funding to address what schools and parents are feeling. “A plan is needed now and not in a year’s time,” Cllr Trefor Hogg said.
Meeting papers are here (Opens in a new window) (including the report (Opens in a new window)), and a video of the discussion is here (Opens in a new window).
Note, 1 June: The text of the above article has been updated, reflecting points made by Surrey Borders & Partnerships (SABP) to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The article now states that Mindworks is accepting new referrals and has been doing so since December 2023 under new criteria, that they were temporarily paused for three months (not eight months as originally stated), and that SABP has said that at no point has Mindworks stopped screening, assessing and diagnosing children and young people already on the waiting list. New school referrals are also open for screening, assessment and diagnosis. The revised text reflects these points.
Mayor and executive members appointed at annual council meeting
L-R: Mayor Cllr Eddy Humphreys, Deputy Mayor Cllr Sue Sinden, Mayoress Mrs Sarah Humphreys (image via RBBC)
Reigate & Banstead’s annual council meeting took place on Thursday 23 May, the authority’s ceremonial start to the 2024-25 municipal year.
Conservative Cllr Eddy Humphreys was re-elected as mayor for a second term, while Green Cllr Sue Sinden was elected as deputy mayor.
The meeting marked the 50th anniversary of the council’s founding on 1 April 1974, when the council was created by the merger of the Borough of Reigate with Banstead Urban District, as part of changes to local government across the country. A number of celebrations will be held (Opens in a new window) during the year.
Cllr Humphreys said: “I am looking forward to continuing as mayor for a second term coinciding with the Council celebrating its milestone 50th anniversary. The theme for my mayoral year continues to be ‘Togetherness,’ which is about community collaboration to improve resources and complement each other’s work to ensure a better outcome for our communities and the borough.”
The Mayor’s chosen charities for fundraising efforts in the coming year are:
Renewed Hope (Opens in a new window), based in Redhill, which supports homeless and vulnerable people in East Surrey, offering evening meals, a winter night shelter and support to build a new life; and
Kingswood Shetlands and Friends’ new charitable arm, TRACKS Through Pastures (Opens in a new window), which is dedicated to improving the lives of young people and adults with social, emotional and mental health needs through human and animal interaction.
(More information about the mayor, deputy mayor and inviting them to events is here (Opens in a new window).)
Later in the meeting, Conservative Cllr Richard Biggs, in the second of his four-year term as leader, unveiled a slimmed-down executive committee of seven members, all Conservatives, down from the previous nine. Members are:
Cllr Richard Biggs - Council Leader and Portfolio Holder for Community Development and Prosperity
Cllr Victor Lewanski – Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Assets
Cllr Rich Michalowski – Place, Planning and Regulatory Services
Cllr Hannah Avery - Neighbourhood Services
Cllr Mus Tary - Housing and Support
Cllr James King – Corporate Policy and Resources
Cllr Nadean Moses – Sustainability and Leisure
Cllr Biggs said: “I am grateful to continue to serve the borough as council leader. I look forward to working with councillors from across the council to deliver the priorities in our five-year plan, Reigate & Banstead 2025, to benefit those who live in or do business in our borough.”
The leader will continue with his regular surgeries where residents can make an appointment (Opens in a new window).
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