The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the pressures on the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process, particularly concerning children moving into the borough, and to receive an update on Barking and Dagenham's Neighbourhood Policing. The committee heard that 178 children with EHCPs moved into the borough in 2025, placing significant demand on services, and received an update on crime statistics and policing strategies, including efforts to tackle robbery and improve community engagement.

The EHCP Process and Demand from New Residents

The committee received a detailed presentation on the challenges faced by the Education, Health and Care (EHC) team due to the increasing number of children and young people with EHCPs moving into Barking and Dagenham. In 2025, 178 children and young people with EHCPs moved into the borough, with 48 arriving without an educational placement. The estimated cost for placement arrangements for this cohort was over £2.2 million. The council is responding by planning to create approximately 90 new special school places and 60 mainstream Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) places.

Key statutory duties were outlined, including the requirement for the new authority to maintain an EHCP upon transfer and to review it within specific timescales. The review must occur either within 12 months of the plan being made or previously reviewed by the old authority, or within 3 months of the plan being transferred, whichever is later. However, the committee heard that due to high demand and pressure on services, meeting these timescales has proven difficult.

Discussions highlighted that while the council prioritises local mainstream education where appropriate, there are children for whom specialist provision is necessary. The council is focused on developing locally maintained specialist provision. It was confirmed that currently, Additional Resourced Provisions (ARPs) and special schools are largely full, necessitating expansion plans. The committee also raised concerns about the process for deciding which child takes precedence when multiple children require specialist placements, with the service explaining that decisions are based on risk assessment and the child's existing provision.

A concern was raised about the lack of a centralised notification system for when children with EHCPs move into the borough, meaning services are not always automatically informed. The council is duty-bound to cover the costs of provision for children who move into the borough and remain at their old schools, and a review of their EHCP will be conducted. For children arriving without an educational placement, interim tuition is provided, typically on a one-to-one basis, at an estimated cost of £250,000 for the 48 children in 2025.

The committee was informed that the government is undertaking reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, with an upcoming white paper expected to influence future policy.

Barking and Dagenham Neighbourhood Policing Update

Superintendent Biju Premnath and Acting Chief Inspector Carroll Weeden provided an update on Barking and Dagenham's Neighbourhood Policing. The overall structure of neighbourhood policing remains unchanged, with teams currently at 100% strength for Police Constables (PCs) and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). Officers' abstraction from their ward duties averages between four to five days per month.

The committee received an overview of crime data, noting a decrease in Antisocial Behaviour (ASB) and Shoplifting, but an increase in Personal Robbery and Theft of Motor Vehicles. A three-month rolling plan is in place to address robbery hotspots, involving increased patrols, intelligence gathering, and preventative strategies. The Metropolitan Police is also implementing Phase 2 of its New Met for London plan, focusing on performance and operational progress, and has secured £45,000 in funding for a 12-month extension of the New Path program, which supports young people at risk of disengagement and exclusion from school.

There has been an increase in firearm-related crime, with six lethal weapon discharges in the current financial year compared to three in the previous year. The committee heard about various tactics used to combat crime, including joint operations with partners, the use of live facial recognition technology, and drug detection dogs. The Crime Enforcement Task Force, funded by the local authority, has been instrumental in various operations, including recovering stolen vehicles, arresting individuals for armed robbery, and executing warrants related to drug offences.

Changes to the neighbourhood model include the disbandment of the Integrated Communications & Engagement team, with their functions now being absorbed by ward and town centre officers. This transition is ongoing, and the full impact is yet to be felt. The committee raised concerns about the capacity of these officers to manage the increased workload.

Discussions also touched upon the rise in hate crime, which was attributed to increased reporting due to greater confidence in coming forward and national/international events. Hate crimes are primarily categorised by religious factors and, to a lesser extent, disability linked to ASB and cuckooing. The police are working with community safety partnerships to address these issues.

The committee inquired about the use of innovative technologies such as drones and static facial recognition, with officers expressing a desire to implement them but noting that current resource limitations and crime rates in other boroughs mean Barking and Dagenham is not a priority for their rollout. The effectiveness of Met-Engage, the police's digital engagement platform, was also discussed, with around 2,000 people signed up so far.

The committee noted the report and the ongoing efforts to address crime and improve community safety in Barking and Dagenham.