Latest news with #PaulStuart
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
SEND families 'frustrated and helpless'
Parents, carers and professionals looking after young people with special educational needs are being left "frustrated and helpless", an inspection has found. Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission said both Wirral Council and the local NHS were failing young people who needed support. The inspectors said that despite some progress having been made, urgent action needed to be taken. Wirral Council said some improvements had been made but that not all families were feeling the benefit yet, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported. The inspection in January looked at both the services provided by Wirral Council as well as the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board. It came after a highly critical inspection in 2021 and a government notice issued last year over a failure to make progress. The council has invested more money in its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) teams, and the Department for Education described the improvements as significant. The January inspection, published recently, said there were long-standing failings "all too frequently characterised by waiting lists, and delays and failures to identify children and young people's needs". The inspectors said: "Children and young people bear the consequences of weak systems for education, health and care (EHC) plans. "Furthermore, many EHC plans are rarely, if ever, updated to reflect the reviews that education settings carry out. "Consequently, these plans no longer reflect the needs of the children and young people concerned and their needs sometimes go unmet." Wirral Council leader Paul Stuart, a member of the Local Area SEND Partnership Board, said: "We have made progress in recent months, which has been recognised by the Department for Education. "While we continue to work across the partnership board to make large scale improvements for SEND children and their families, we recognise that these improvements are not yet consistently being felt by families themselves." He said there were still changes needed to improve the services and provide positive outcomes for all children and young people across Wirral. "We have a lot of work to do, but we're committed to our young people," he said. "There are a lot of dedicated and passionate staff across the partnership working hard to continue to drive that change and I'd thank them for their commitment to our borough and our young people. "The momentum that Wirral's Local Area SEND Partnership has already built and the pace of work will continue to ensure that families feel the benefits of these changes and the needs of all children and young people with SEND across Wirral are met – and exceeded." Simon Banks, place director (Wirral) for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said a recovery plan had been endorsed to improve wait times for assessments. He added: "Wirral is an early adopter in the North West of a new neurodiversity profiling tool that will ensure that neurodevelopmental needs are identified early and support put in place across all areas of a child or young person's life." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Parents of SEND children accuse council of 'neglect' Care Quality Commission Ofsted
BBC News
21-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Wirral SEND families 'frustrated and helpless'
Parents, carers and professionals looking after young people with special educational needs are being left "frustrated and helpless", an inspection has found. Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission said both Wirral Council and the local NHS were failing young people who needed support. The inspectors said that despite some progress having been made, urgent action needed to be taken. Wirral Council said some improvements had been made but that not all families were feeling the benefit yet, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported. 'Delays and failures' The inspection in January looked at both the services provided by Wirral Council as well as the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board. It came after a highly critical inspection in 2021 and a government notice issued last year over a failure to make progress. The council has invested more money in its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) teams, and the Department for Education described the improvements as January inspection, published recently, said there were long-standing failings "all too frequently characterised by waiting lists, and delays and failures to identify children and young people's needs". The inspectors said: "Children and young people bear the consequences of weak systems for education, health and care (EHC) plans. "Furthermore, many EHC plans are rarely, if ever, updated to reflect the reviews that education settings carry out. "Consequently, these plans no longer reflect the needs of the children and young people concerned and their needs sometimes go unmet." 'Dedicated staff' Wirral Council leader Paul Stuart, a member of the Local Area SEND Partnership Board, said: "We have made progress in recent months, which has been recognised by the Department for Education. "While we continue to work across the partnership board to make large scale improvements for SEND children and their families, we recognise that these improvements are not yet consistently being felt by families themselves."He said there were still changes needed to improve the services and provide positive outcomes for all children and young people across Wirral. "We have a lot of work to do, but we're committed to our young people," he said. "There are a lot of dedicated and passionate staff across the partnership working hard to continue to drive that change and I'd thank them for their commitment to our borough and our young people."The momentum that Wirral's Local Area SEND Partnership has already built and the pace of work will continue to ensure that families feel the benefits of these changes and the needs of all children and young people with SEND across Wirral are met – and exceeded."Simon Banks, place director (Wirral) for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said a recovery plan had been endorsed to improve wait times for added: "Wirral is an early adopter in the North West of a new neurodiversity profiling tool that will ensure that neurodevelopmental needs are identified early and support put in place across all areas of a child or young person's life." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Wirral: £12m regeneration works start in Liscard town centre
Work is set to start on the £12m regeneration of a town centre on Merseyside. Up to 100 "affordable and quality" homes, a new community centre and improvements to the high street and shop fronts are planned for Liscard in plans include the demolition of former council offices on Egerton Grove which have been described by councillors as "an eyesore".Wirral Council leader Paul Stuart said the revamp would help "to build a more resilient, prosperous Liscard". The town was one of 55 projects across the country to get cash in the third round of government Levelling Up former Liscard Municipal Building and Community Centre will be demolished over 18 weeks to make way for new homes to be built, with work expected to start in council said the new home development would "offer a unique opportunity to redevelop the disused land and provide much needed affordable, quality housing within Liscard town centre".A decision notice published by the local authority said the disused buildings had been "boarded up for many years" attracting "regular vandalism at a cost to the council". Councillor James Laing said the beginning of the demolition was "excellent news" as it was "an eyesore that attracted antisocial behaviour".Councillor Janette Williamson said it was a positive step after years of pushing for more investment in the town Stuart said the authority would be working with the local community "to build a more resilient, prosperous Liscard and turning the vision we've had for some time now a reality". "It's the latest site in Wirral's ambitious regeneration plan to take a major step forward this year, and demonstrates our continued commitment to deliver on the plans we've so diligently developed," he said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New homes in borough set for brownfield sites only
At least 14,000 homes are expected to be built in a borough on Merseyside over the next 15 years on brownfield sites only. Wirral's Local Plan is believed to be the first strategy to stick to brownfield land approved in the country, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. The regeneration proposal means no areas of green belt, about half of the borough, would be released for development. Council leader Paul Stuart said the plan was robust and would deliver real progress, improvements, and opportunities for the whole of Wirral. The plan includes building 11,814 homes by 2040, nearly 2,600 below the minimum required to address housing needs but it is based on the expectation housing delivery would increase as regeneration programmes get off the ground. Planning inspectors Tom Bristow and Mike Worden gave the proposals the go-ahead last month for the council to sign it off despite concerns from developers that nearly £1bn of public money would be needed. The council said the new homes would stop more young people leaving Wirral, which faces an ageing population. The Local Plan will replace the council's 2000 planning policy. In 2019, the government threatened to intervene over the council's failure to produce a plan arguing it had "failed to plan for and deliver the homes people need in Wirral" as its policies had been out of date since 2001. The Local Plan was approved at an extraordinary meeting held on Monday by Wirral Council which is led by Labour but without overall control, meaning decisions have to be made on a cross-party basis. Stuart said: "This is not just about buildings and protecting our green belt. "It's about creating hope, opportunities and a bright future for every resident of Wirral." Conservative councillors praised the delivery of the Local Plan including councillor Helen Cameron, who represents the rural area around Clatterbridge. However, she said farms needed to be protected. Green councillor Jo Bird said the plan was "outstanding" but said the new homes "actually have to be built", adding: "Developers will only build if they can sell or rent the homes. "So looking forward, that's why Wirral Council have to keep investing time and money in the successful regeneration of Birkenhead." Similar sentiments were expressed by the Liberal Democrats who said the plan would be of no use if it was not delivered. Councillor Phil Gilchrist said he was "confident that the pace of delivery can pick up" but highlighted issues around viability. He said he "looked forward to the years where we will actually put our borough back on the map and make it somewhere people want to invest in". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. Wirral Council Local Democracy Reporting Service Where does the government want 1.5 million new homes? The debate: We need new homes, where should they go? Some councils ordered to increase home building by 400%, new BBC tracker shows Regeneration funds 'redirected' by council Council reveals £73m development plans for borough Council regeneration chief to step down
BBC News
03-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Wirral's Local Plan for new homes on brownfield sites only approved
At least 14,000 homes are expected to be built in a borough on Merseyside over the next 15 years on brownfield sites Local Plan is believed to be the first strategy to stick to brownfield land approved in the country, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. The regeneration proposal means no areas of green belt, about half of the borough, would be released for leader Paul Stuart said the plan was robust and would deliver real progress, improvements, and opportunities for the whole of Wirral. The plan includes building 11,814 homes by 2040, nearly 2,600 below the minimum required to address housing needs but it is based on the expectation housing delivery would increase as regeneration programmes get off the inspectors Tom Bristow and Mike Worden gave the proposals the go-ahead last month for the council to sign it off despite concerns from developers that nearly £1bn of public money would be council said the new homes would stop more young people leaving Wirral, which faces an ageing population. 'Creating hope' The Local Plan will replace the council's 2000 planning 2019, the government threatened to intervene over the council's failure to produce a plan arguing it had "failed to plan for and deliver the homes people need in Wirral" as its policies had been out of date since Local Plan was approved at an extraordinary meeting held on Monday by Wirral Council which is led by Labour but without overall control, meaning decisions have to be made on a cross-party said: "This is not just about buildings and protecting our green belt. "It's about creating hope, opportunities and a bright future for every resident of Wirral."Conservative councillors praised the delivery of the Local Plan including councillor Helen Cameron, who represents the rural area around she said farms needed to be councillor Jo Bird said the plan was "outstanding" but said the new homes "actually have to be built", adding: "Developers will only build if they can sell or rent the homes. "So looking forward, that's why Wirral Council have to keep investing time and money in the successful regeneration of Birkenhead."Similar sentiments were expressed by the Liberal Democrats who said the plan would be of no use if it was not delivered. Councillor Phil Gilchrist said he was "confident that the pace of delivery can pick up" but highlighted issues around said he "looked forward to the years where we will actually put our borough back on the map and make it somewhere people want to invest in". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
