The Secretary of State (SoS) for Education, the Rt Honourable Kit Malthouse MP, has published a letter in relation to the Education Select Committee that Solihull Council attended in June. This letter says that the Secretary of State now feels minded to issue a Statutory Direction, which would involve deploying a Commissioner “to instruct the Council as to how to improve the children’s social care functions”.
The formal Statutory Direction from the SoS has not yet been issued, but Solihull Council has been informed that Sir Alan Wood has been appointed as the Department for Education’s (DfE) Commissioner.
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council, said:
“I understand the DfE’s reasons behind this decision and I can assure the SoS that everyone in Solihull will give the Commissioner their full support.
“We now have a new senior management team in Children’s Services, and I know they will welcome any extra support or advice to make the necessary transformation within the Council and across our partner organisations.
“All those involved in safeguarding in the Borough have accepted the National Panel findings and are committed to improving the safeguarding of children, young people and families within Solihull.”