A complete review of Bracknell Forest Council’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services is needed ‘as a matter of urgency’, a councillor has said.

Councillor Gareth Barnard said that SEND provision is a ‘significant worry’ for families in the borough in a question submitted to leaders ahead of this week's full council meeting.

Formerly in charge of children and young people at the council, Councillor Barnard said parents and carers ‘have raised legitimate concerns’ about the service.

Referring to an open letter signed by 148 people, Councillor Barnard said there were issues with case management processes and updating Education, Health and Care Plans.

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The council is set to overspend by £8.5 million on SEND this financial year, as it has faced delays to the building of a specialist school for autism at Buckler’s Park.

Conservative councillor Gareth Barnard has asked cabinet member for children’s services Roy Bailey to provide a ‘comprehensive written report on the state of the case management system’ used by Bracknell Forest.

The ward member for Whitegrove said colleagues should be told ‘how this system supports timely case management and keeps parents, carers and schools informed throughout the process’.

He has also called for a review of the entire service by the Overview and Scrutiny Commission ‘as a matter of urgency’.

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Councillor Barnard said in July that the former conservative administration failed to ‘get it right’ in SEND provision.

But he added that progress being made ‘on the operational day-to-day delivery is not progressing as some might see’.

This was echoed by 148 signees of an open letter to the council, who said they had been left ‘deeply dissatisfied’ and were ‘still not seeing improvements’.

Parents raised a variety of concerns and questions over its participation in the Safety Valve scheme, where the government will fund two specialist schools in the borough in return for a reduction in the council’s overspend on SEND.

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CEO of the council Susan Halliwell said ‘significant, lasting change’ was needed, and that while improvements were being made, ‘these efforts will take time to fully realise’.

This is all expected to be discussed at this week’s council meeting, where an update on SEND will be given by cabinet member for children and young people Roy Bailey.

Councillor Bailey is scheduled to update colleagues on SEND provision before Councillor Barnard asks his question at the full council meeting on Wednesday, November 27.