Sutton Council has made two new appointments in its special education needs and disabilities (SEND) department – but is yet to replace the branch’s retiring chief.

The people committee heard on June 14 that two new people have been brought in amid the release of an Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) report.

However, questions were raised over who will lead the department since the council’s head of SEN – Colin Pates – will retire on July 5.

Kieran Holliday, the council’s head of pupil based commissioning, said: “We have appointed a permanent assistant director [for education and SEND], Fiona Phelps, who joined in May, to add additional leadership capacity and to help try and forward this work.

“We’ve also appointed a senior project officer [SEND transformation lead] to effectively support the work of the implementation group across all those agencies and to put it all together, and that’s somebody called Victor Roman who joined us in March as well.

“He will be working very closely with Fiona to do just that.”

An SEND implementation group, comprising of representation "from across social care and education", is currently in place while an action plan is being drawn up.

A report following the joint inspection into the SEND services within Sutton, which took place over a week in January, was published on March 23.

Assessing the “effectiveness” of the area to provide SEND reforms, a total of 22 strengths – in three categories – were identified alongside 19 areas for improvement.

People committee member Andrew Theobald asked whether Mr Pates was retiring, to which he was told that he is in early July.

He then added: “He is the head of SEN, what’s been done about replacing him? Bearing in mind that’s an absolute key role in this.

“So I’d like to know what’s being done about replacing that person. Has somebody been appointed? Who is actually going to deputise for them? Do they have the necessary qualities and experience?”

Mr Holliday told the committee that the role has been advertised and the notice went out “six to eight weeks ago”.

Interviews took place at the end of last week and, while the outcome was not revealed during the meeting, he believes it is “imminent”.

He added: “We would absolutely want to appoint someone with the right skills and experience, given how important that role is, and we certainly don’t underestimate that.”

Bodies and organisations involved in providing SEND services within Sutton were assessed by Ofsted and CQC, of which both the council and Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group make up.

Among the 22 advantages were leaders “correctly identifying” strengths and areas for improvement, a majority of children attending ‘good’ or better Ofsted-rated schools.

This also included parents’ “positive” opinions about both early years’ services within Sutton as well as support being offered.

However, Ofsted noted there had been “insufficient” progress since the implementation of the Children and Families Act 2014, of which the borough was judged on.

In addition, leaders “had not adequately checked” Educational Health and Care (EHC) plans, while the Sutton Information, Advice, and Support Service “was allowed to dwindle”.

Nearly half (28) of the 60 local authorities inspected by watchdogs, since May 2016, have resulted in written statements of action, of which Sutton is among.