Sandwell Council apologises after SEND transport removal warning

Sandwell Council urged people not to use sites like Twitter and Facebook to voice concerns and instead work with the transport company, or the authority, on the issues.

And the document states if parents or carers refuse, and instead raise their concerns on social media, then the child's transport "being suspended or removed permanently".

The inclusion of the warning in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) transport document led to Sandwell Council being criticised for hitting a "new low".

But the authority has now apologised for the wording used and said families would not have transport suspended for posting complaints on social media after coming under fire.

It comes after it was revealed two firms – run by a former council employee – at the heart of issues within SEND transport last year were awarded contracts to transport youngsters in the borough.

The section, in the Parent and Carer Guide Home To School Transport (September 2022 to August 2024), reads: "Please don’t use social media as it may result in your child’s transport being suspended or removed permanently."

Nicola Richards, MP for West Bromwich East, asked the Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt whether a debate could be held on the issue and she raised her concerns about the clause.

She said: "Sadly, I was not shocked by Sandwell Council's latest attempt to threaten and silence residents who are being let down by the Labour-run council.

"Residents who complain about their child's SEND travel service now face their transport provision being removed for good. This is after the scandal around these contracts being awarded on the basis of friendships. We really have hit a new low."

Ms Mordaunt said it was "very shocking and sad to hear" and said she would raise it with the relevant department, saying it was a "shocking indictment of that council."

She said: "It's absolutely the case that local authorities have a statutory duty to provide free home to school transport for eligible children of compulsory school age and it would not be lawful for a local authority to withdraw transport from an eligible child un the grounds that a parent has complained. I think that is an outrageous thing."

A spokesperson for Sandwell Council said: "We apologise for the wording used – we will clarify this wording and update the guide to parents and carers. To be clear, families would not have their child’s transport suspended or removed for posting complaints on social media.

"Our intention was to encourage families to go direct to their transport provider or direct to the council if they have any concerns. This is the quickest and most efficient way to get any issues resolved.

"We have been liaising with families this week to support them as the new transport arrangements have started."

Concerns were raised last week about the transport contract process, with Azeem Hafeez's North Birmingham Travel Ltd and County Cars Ltd among nine companies chosen to deliver transport for youngsters across 16 contracts in the borough.

The two firms were due to run all transport last year , worth around £20 million, but it was put on hold after it emerged they were the only two firms successful in a closed tender process.

Mr Hafeez, a former Sandwell Council employee, is the son of former deputy leader Mahboob Hussain and both were named in an explosive 2016 report on council land deals. He denied any wrongdoing.

A subsequent investigation led to a major overhaul of the system with firms invited to bid for a number of contracts to run for two years from September 1 this year to August 31, 2024.