Warwickshire councillors cleared of conduct breach after controversial comments on SEND children
An independent investigation into controversial comments made by three councillors about children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) during a debate, has found they did not breach the council’s code of conduct.
The comments on SEND provision in the county questioned whether some children "were just really badly behaved", and "needed a form of strict correction".
The council received 281 complaints referencing all three councillors and the comments that they made during the debate on the SEND Analysis item at the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, on Thursday 25 January 2024.
Cllr Jeff Morgan, Cllr Brian Hammersley and Cllr Clare Golby, all Conservatives, were criticised for the language they used in the meeting.
What were the comments made?
Cllr Morgan, the former cabinet member for children and young people queried whether some SEND children "were just really badly behaved" and "needed a form of strict correction."
Cllr Hammersley asked: "Was there something in the water?" and "Where were they all when I was at school?"
Cllr Clare Golby questioned: "What comes down to parenting and what comes down to SEND issues – how do we identify that and what pathways do we put people on that perhaps don’t have an SEND need but do have parenting skill shortages?"
All three councillors apologised and were removed from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee while a formal investigation began.
Khizra Bano was one of the parents who challenged the councillors' comments at the time.
When the three councillors made statements, SEND Crisis Warwickshire, a parent carer group which represents around a thousand families in Warwickshire, said while parents welcomed them, they were not satisfied with the apologies received.
The leader of Warwickshire County Council issued an apology and told ITV News Central that she was determined to "build the bridges" broken, after the comments made.
And the Chief Executive of the Council emphasised that the matter was being taken extremely seriously, and that time was now needed for an investigation to be completed.
The investigation, which was carried out by an external, independent lawyer, found Cllr Morgan and Cllr Hammersley had failed to be respectful.
It also found they failed to "champion the needs of the whole community" and uphold the reputation of the council.
It also found the councillors had been entitled to make the comments under freedom of speech protections.
Meanwhile, Cllr Golby’s words were not deemed to have been disrespectful or "caused reputational damage" or have evidenced a failure to champion the needs of the whole community.
How has Warwickshire County Council responded?
A spokesperson for Warwickshire County Council said: "This has been a difficult and lengthy process, and we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the investigation.
"We want to reassure residents that a thorough investigation has been undertaken and the views of all complainants were considered as part of that process.
"We continue to work hard to build on the relationship we have with Warwickshire families, and we remain committed to working in partnership to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families in Warwickshire."
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