The Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Warwickshire Council met on Tuesday 21 April 2026 to discuss the draft Council Plan 2026-30, receive updates on various council initiatives, and address concerns regarding children's services. Key decisions included the endorsement of the draft Council Plan, with a commitment to further scrutiny of its detailed implementation, and discussions on improving SEND provision and addressing child poverty.

Council Plan 2026-30

The committee reviewed the draft Council Plan 2026-30, titled 'Recalibrating Warwickshire', which sets out the council's ambition to improve services, build better local government, and transform for the future. Councillor Judy Falp, Vice-Chair of the committee, highlighted the importance of staff welfare within the plan, stating, without the staff we can't do all the other things. Councillor James Norris expressed a generally positive view of the high-level document, noting that the devil is in the detail and that the true impact would be seen in its implementation.

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision outlined in the plan. Councillor Norris raised concerns about the persistently low figures for the timely issuance of Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs), with only 24% meeting the statutory 20-week guideline in December 2025. Councillor George Finch, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Children & Families, suggested that the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help improve efficiency in casework, stating, AI can do it much quicker but then the person, the expert will look through that afterwards. John Coleman, Executive Director for Children and Young People, confirmed that demand for EHCPs has risen to 250 requests per month and that the council is exploring AI solutions and a new EHCP system to improve processes.

Councillor Keith Condicott voiced concerns about the language used in the plan, particularly the term recalibrate, suggesting that building on where we've got to make things better would be more appropriate. He also advocated for a focus on equality in education, ensuring all children have access to good local schools, rather than solely focusing on growth and productivity. Councillor Jennifer McAllister noted the low response rate to the public engagement on the plan and expressed disappointment that previous unanimously supported motions on SEND and child poverty were not more clearly reflected.

The committee agreed to receive further updates on the use of AI in the EHCP process and on the progress of the Great Alne School site.

New Primary School on Calendar Farm Site

Councillor Keith Condark raised concerns about the delayed opening of a new primary school on the former Calendar Farm site, which was originally scheduled for September but is now expected in February 2027. The interim solution involves modular buildings at Higham Lane North. Councillor Condark questioned whether planning permission for these modular classrooms had been secured. Johnny Kyriacou, Director of Education, stated that he would follow up with the planning department.

Active Travel and Meetings with Simon Storey

Councillor Jennifer McAllister questioned Councillor George Finch about his openness to meeting with Simon Storey, the Bicycle Mayor for Warwick District, given that Councillor Finch had previously lifted a ban on Councillor Condark addressing a meeting. Councillor Finch stated he would only consider meetings with cycle enthusiasts if he knew their election turnout and majority, and that such meetings were not the best use of his time as Leader of the Council. Councillor McAllister argued that this was a resident of Warwickshire asking for a meeting and that it was not solely about cycle lanes but about kids cycling to school and active travel.

Children Missing in Care

Councillor Keith Condark raised concerns about the number of children in care going missing, citing a report that 41 children went missing in a particular month. He asked for clarification on what measures were in place to address this and whether the figures were improving. Councillor Finch responded that he meets with officers regularly on this issue and that efforts are underway to prevent children from going missing and to ensure their safety. Sharon, an officer, later provided an update stating that numbers of children missing had gone down by 10% in the previous year, and that all 12 children who went missing in the current week had been found. She also noted that a strong team supports these young people, and that the pull factors for them going missing are being investigated.

Social Media Use for Young People in Care

Councillor Condark also raised concerns about the impact of social media on young people in care, asking about the council's policies regarding their social media use. Councillor Finch stated that while he believes social media environments can be unsafe for children, it is ultimately down to parents to control their children's usage. He also highlighted that the council is looking into the effects of social media on children and young people.

Children's Homes and Investment

Councillor Condark expressed strong support for the council investing in more council-owned children's homes, stating it leads to better outcomes and lower costs. Councillor Finch committed to increasing the number of children's homes, noting that while he cannot give an exact figure for the next ten years due to potential changes, he aims to build as many as possible over the next one to two years. He highlighted that private sector homes can cost £6,000 per child per week, whereas council-run homes can reduce this to around £3,000. He also suggested integrating children's homes into new housing developments to mitigate nimbyism.

Closure of Great Alne Primary School

Councillor James Norris questioned Councillor Wayne Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Education, about the future use of the Great Alne Primary School site following its closure. Councillor Norris stressed the need for a commitment that the site would not be sold for development and would continue to be used for educational purposes. Councillor Briggs stated that discussions about the future use of the site would take place over the coming months and that he personally would like to see it remain an educational establishment. He also confirmed that no plans are currently in place for the site's disposal.

Updates from Cabinet Portfolio Holders

Councillor George Finch provided an update on the work of the Children and Families portfolio, highlighting the success of the youth council and the positive Ofsted outcomes for children's homes. He also mentioned ongoing reforms in foster care pay and role profiles, and the progress of new children's homes.

Councillor Wayne Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Education, reported on various initiatives including school effectiveness meetings, the issue of children's vapes, and additions to the capital programme for school refurbishments and SEND provision. He also discussed the Warwickshire's Best Start local plan and the National Year of Reading.

Regional Care Cooperatives

John Coleman provided an update on the potential application for the West Midlands region to become a regional care cooperative. This initiative aims to improve the sufficiency and quality of children's residential care and foster care placements, and to access future government funding. The council is looking to apply in principle as part of the 14 local authorities in the West Midlands. Councillor Keith Condark expressed concerns about potential boundaries created by regional cooperatives, particularly regarding placements across the East Midlands and West Midlands border.

Children Missing in Care Data

Sharon provided an update on children missing in care, stating that numbers had decreased by 10% in the previous year. She confirmed that all 12 children who had gone missing in the current week had been found and that efforts are underway to understand the pull factors for young people going missing.

Work Programme

The committee discussed items for the future work programme, including a briefing on the Warwickshire local SEND inspection, an update on the situation at Great Alne School, and a visit to the HATAS space family hub. Councillor Nicki Scott requested information on staff sickness absence, which was noted as a matter for the resources committee but agreed to be circulated if appropriate.

The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for 23 June 2026.