Councillor takes SEND protest to headquarters

A Dudley councillor took his concerns about support for parents of special needs children to the heart of the authority.

Cllr Matt Cook, whose four-year-old son is autistic, which means he is non-verbal and non-mobile, wants improvements in how the authority issues Education, Health and Care Plans.

He made his way to the council’s children’s services headquarters at The Waterfront in Brierley Hill on March 18, where he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service what he thinks is wrong. 

Cllr Cook said: “Children with special educational needs have got the right to education just like every other child.

“Without that support plan in place, the school will not give them the support they need. Parents are left waiting for months, sometimes years, to get the support their child is legally entitled to.”

The Black Country Party councillor who represents Brierley Hill and Wordsley South says he speaks to many parents who face delays in getting a plan in place and sometimes poor communication from the authority.

In December 2025 Dudley Council announced a total of £1.3m in extra spending for special educational needs services including £500,000 for educational psychologists who complete EHCP assessments.

Speaking when the funding was announced, Councillor Wayne Little, Dudley cabinet member for children and young people, said: “This spending pledge reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring every child here in Dudley borough receives support to thrive.

“These efforts will help us work towards reducing waiting times, enhancing the quality of support available, and ensuring that every child and young person has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

Even being an elected member of the council seems to have not helped Cllr Cook.

He said: “My son needs one-to-one feeding provision at lunch times at school but the council has point blank refused to put that in, they said it doesn’t exist.

“I’ve spoken to a lot of parents right across our borough who’ve said their child received one-to-one feeding support. Without the right support children are failed, they can’t thrive and be educated properly.”