The Education, SEND & Inclusion Cabinet Panel of Hertfordshire Council met on Tuesday 14 July 2026. The panel recommended to Cabinet the approval of a proposal to introduce a charging mechanism for schools voluntarily converting to academy status from January 2027. This mechanism aims to recover the majority of local authority costs incurred during the conversion process, with a proposed flat fee of £11,000 per conversion. Exceptions will be made for schools that are legally required to convert or where the local authority deems it beneficial. The fee will be reviewed annually. Councillor Ralph Muncer abstained from the vote, while Councillor Chris Lloyd voted in favour.

The panel noted the extensive work undertaken by Services for Young People (SfYP) to capture and embed the voice of young people within their services. This includes various participation activities such as surveys, youth work projects, and the development of local and county-wide Youth Councils. The establishment of the Hertfordshire Youth Council (HYC) was supported, aiming to provide a county-wide platform for young people's voice and participation. Discussions also touched upon the UK Youth Parliament and Youth Council UK, and the importance of ensuring coherence across different youth engagement mechanisms.

The panel received an overview of Hertfordshire's Draft Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Reform Plan, developed in response to the Department for Education's national SEND reform programme. The plan, which covers 2026-2029, focuses on earlier intervention and strengthening mainstream inclusion. Key elements include the development of the Experts at Hand model, which aims to provide specialist support directly into mainstream settings, alongside investment in workforce capability and early intervention. The plan has been developed with significant co-production from families, settings, and stakeholders. Successful approval by the DfE is crucial as it unlocks significant financial support, including funding to address the High Needs deficit. The panel engaged in a detailed discussion about the plan's risks, including workforce availability, the scale of Hertfordshire, and the alignment with other ongoing reforms. Concerns were raised by several councillors regarding workforce capacity, funding, and the potential impact on frontline teachers.

The panel received an update on the progress made by the Children Missing Education (CME) and Elective Home Education (EHE) teams since their integration into the Virtual School in September 2024. The report highlighted significant improvements in service delivery, including increased capacity within the EHE team and a more robust oversight of children recorded as EHE. The CME team has also seen improvements in successful closures and reintegration rates. Nationally, EHE numbers are growing, and Hertfordshire's rate is reported as below the national average. However, unsuitable home education is now the largest single factor contributing to CME figures in Hertfordshire. The panel discussed the legal framework surrounding CME and EHE, the authority's powers to intervene, and the processes for ensuring children receive a suitable education. Concerns were raised about the potential for children to move between local authorities to avoid prosecution, and the safeguarding implications of this. The report also detailed the work being done in partnership with various teams to support children's return to education. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act was mentioned, with clarification sought on its implementation timeline and specific requirements.

Adrian England, Executive Member for Sustainability, provided observations on how sustainability could be integrated into the panel's work. He noted the professionalism of the panel's discussions and suggested opportunities to align sustainability efforts with the council's existing agenda.

The meeting concluded with the Chair thanking attendees for a fascinating afternoon.