The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Redbridge Council met on Monday 19 October 2026 to discuss the SEND improvement update, the Redbridge Youth Justice Service Strategic Plan, and the Q1 Corporate Performance Report.

SEND Improvement Update

Councillor Lloyd Duddridge, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, presented an update on the SEND Improvement Priority Action Plan. He highlighted significant progress, with 80 out of 175 actions completed, and noted that Redbridge's timeliness in issuing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) now exceeds the national average. The strategy aims to improve early identification, mainstream inclusion, EHCP quality, and preparation for adulthood.

Councillor Milli Richards Clack, Leader of the Green Party Group, declared an interest as a parent of a SEND child with an EHCP. Councillor Marwan Elfallah, Leader of the Redbridge Independents Group, declared an interest as a governor of three primary schools and the link governor for SEND at those schools. Councillor Alex Charlton-Holmes, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, also noted that Councillor Vibhu Taneja's wife works in a primary school in Redbridge and Councillor Elfallah works with schools in Redbridge and other boroughs.

Councillor Jyotsna Rahman Islam asked about waiting times for medical assessments and EHCPs. Andrea King, Director of Education & SEND, stated that 49.3% of children received their EHCPs within 20 weeks, an improvement from 7% the previous year, and that family satisfaction with the quality of involvement in EHCPs was 85.7%. Councillor Duddridge acknowledged that while progress had been made, he was not satisfied with the current numbers and aimed for further improvement.

Concerns were raised about forecasting future demand for EHCPs and specialist provision, with Councillor Duddridge stating that detailed modelling of the child population up to 2030 had been conducted. Councillor Milli Richards Clack shared a personal experience of the difficulties in obtaining assessments and support for her child, highlighting the discrepancy in EHCP outcomes and the need for consistent decision-making. Councillor Duddridge assured that efforts were being made to ensure fairness and transparency in the EHCP process.

Councillor Martin Sachs inquired about capital funding for SEND provision in mainstream schools. Councillor Elfallah confirmed that funding was available but needed to be spent wisely and in conjunction with schools. He also mentioned an extraordinary schools forum meeting held to discuss the analysis of SEND children's needs and capital resources.

Councillor Alex Charlton-Holmes asked for an example of early diagnosis, and Councillor Elfallah provided an example of the Elkland model being introduced in family hubs to support early speech, language, and communication development. Councillor Syeda Lovely Choudhury asked about the parameters for parental satisfaction and potential for further improvement. Councillor Duddridge responded that the focus was on outcomes, such as employability and educational attainment, and that while 86% parental satisfaction was good, the aim was always for 100%.

Councillor Choudhury also asked about the timeframe for delivering the 176 actions in the SEND Improvement Plan. Councillor Duddridge stated that while some actions were dependent on Ofsted monitoring visits, the focus was on long-term strategy rather than just meeting inspection requirements.

The committee noted the update on the SEND Improvement Plan and discussed the SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy for Redbridge.

Redbridge Youth Justice Service Strategic Plan 2026 - 2029

Helen Anthony, Acting Head of Service for Youth Justice and Youth Service, presented the Redbridge Youth Justice Service Strategic Plan 2026-2029. The plan, a three-year strategy, outlines priorities including high standards of practice, safeguarding, education, training, inclusion for children with additional needs, participation, co-production, and a coordinated approach to victims. A key achievement highlighted was that there were no children in custody at that time.

Councillor Duddridge praised the plan for feeling like Redbridge, emphasizing its focus on fairness, consistency, and positive outcomes, particularly noting the absence of children in custody. Councillor Jyotsna Rahman Islam inquired about the impact of early intervention and diversionary activities. Councillor Duddridge attributed the reduction in young people entering the youth justice system to a connected service approach, learning from past mistakes of working in silos.

Councillor Stephen Adams questioned the ethnicity data, specifically the grouping of Asian as a single category. The response indicated that these categories were set by the Ministry of Justice. Councillor Adams also asked about the financial security of grant funding beyond the current year. The response confirmed that grant funding was approved for three years, with some smaller streams requiring annual renewal.

Councillor Martin Sachs raised concerns about the overlap between SEND and the Youth Justice Team, particularly regarding speech and language needs. Councillor Duddridge explained the work being done around New Rush Hall and the repositioning of a music school to address SEND needs. He also confirmed that speech and language therapists were co-located with the service, and all children were referred for screening.

Councillor Sachs also asked about the probation service's recruitment and retention issues and their impact on the service. The response indicated that while a probation officer was not co-located, funding had been provided to recruit a probation link, and effective working relationships were maintained with probation services.

Councillor Milli Richards Clack followed up on the potential for early diagnosis of neurodiversity within the youth justice system. Councillor Duddridge expressed openness to exciting ideas but stressed the need for partnership with health services for medical diagnoses. He also confirmed that the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NELFT were involved in governance and hearing these concerns.

The committee noted the update on the Redbridge Youth Justice Service Strategic Plan.

Q1 Corporate Performance Report and Transition to the Refreshed Corporate Performance Framework

Aidan Wilkie, Deputy Chief Executive, and Shaj Chowdhury, Director of Modernisation, presented the Q1 Corporate Performance Report and the transition to a refreshed Corporate Performance Framework. The report detailed performance against the Council's existing framework, with Appendix 1 showing the scorecard and Appendix 2 summarising key highlights. This was the final reporting cycle before transitioning to a new framework focused on the Redbridge Plan 2026-30.

Councillor Martin Sachs expressed interest in the new scorecards, drawing parallels to the best value performance indicators of the past. He requested the inclusion of more data on highways, specifically lighting and insurance claims, and how the council repudiates claims. Councillor Chowdhury confirmed this feedback would be taken away and worked on with the relevant service.

Councillor Jyotsna Rahman Islam raised concerns about temporary accommodation figures, noting the positive reduction in Bed and Breakfast (BNB) use but highlighting prison releases as a factor impacting the overall target. Aidan Wilkie assured that prison releases were a front-and-centre concern and that modernisation projects were addressing these challenges.

Councillor Syeda Lovely Choudhury asked about the process for setting targets, whether they were Redbridge-specific, involved external partners, and were realistic yet aspirational. Shaj Chowdhury explained that his team worked with services, conducted benchmarking, external research, and modelling to set stretched targets. Councillor Islam followed up, asking if neighbouring boroughs would be included in benchmarking, to which Chowdhury confirmed this was part of the scorecard development.

Councillor Stephen Adams raised concerns about the timeliness of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and Stage 2 complaints, noting his own experience of an inquiry being reclassified as an FOI. Chowdhury explained that the service was redesigning FOI processes, exploring AI for improvements, and acknowledged the challenge of AI-generated requests. Aidan Wilkie also confirmed that councillors received similar AI-generated emails.

Councillor Alex Charlton-Holmes asked how existing red and amber challenges would be tracked within the new framework. Chowdhury assured that comparisons would be made to ensure low-performing areas were translated to the new scorecard and that actions would follow through. Councillor Marwan Elfallah questioned why targets in some areas, like regeneration, were set lower than current performance. Chowdhury explained that the new framework aimed for stretched targets that were also achievable, and targets would be reviewed and increased if consistently met. Councillor Choudhury asked about initiatives to maintain the employment rate in Redbridge, and it was noted that the relevant portfolio holder was not present, but the question would be taken away.

The committee noted the report.