Labour has a proud history of standing up for children and families with special needs. At the county our leader Cllr Brighouse has secured extra funding to provide education and health care plans faster and for more children. Three special schools are being built and four new children’s homes provided thanks to Labour leader Cllr Brighouse. The Education Commission that Cllr Brighouse commissioned provides some much needed suggestions for improvements.

However we know the problem is with the whole system, not just County services. The Health and Wellbeing Board oversees work between the NHS and other council services, including SEND. The Board is chaired by the Leader of the County Council, Liberal Democrat Liz Leffman. She sits at the head of the system.

Instead of being asleep at the wheel, Liz Leffman should have used her role to hold the Local Partnership to account. She has failed to take any responsibility or provide any leadership on tackling these important issues.

Labour calls on the Liberal Democrats to take their responsibility seriously, instead of passing the blame to Labour members who work harder than anyone to improve a system crippled by 13 years of austerity and cuts by the Conservatives. We should not forget the Tories were supported by the Liberal Democrats in coalition for five years, during which £119m was cut from Children’s Services in Oxfordshire.