3 September 2026
We have written an open letter to all 78 Hertfordshire county councillors.
The subject is Section I of an EHC plan — the part that records, in law, which school a child will attend.
Where a parent asks for a specialist placement and the council's internal panel hasn't yet considered it, plans are being finalised anyway with a placeholder in Section I: usually the child's current school, sometimes no school at all.
We've asked Members for an investigation independent of the SEND service, and for nine questions to be answered publicly and within 4 weeks:
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Was the practice ever authorised — by whom, in what document, and on what date?
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If it was never authorised, how did five officers across at least three teams come to describe it in near-identical terms over 27 months?
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Was legal advice sought on whether Section I could be completed this way, or left blank?
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When did the Director of Children's Services, the Chief Executive, the Monitoring Officer, the Executive Member and the Leader each first become aware?
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Was it ever reported to Members, to the SEND Improvement Board or to the local area partnership's governance?
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Was it disclosed to Ofsted, the CQC or the Department for Education before the Improvement Notice was lifted on 15 April 2026?
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In how many plans finalised since 1 January 2024 was Section I completed this way — and how long did each child then wait for the panel's decision?
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What has been done for the children affected, or does the burden of correcting these entries fall on parents at Tribunal?
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Have the panel's records survived, or has the instruction to delete them been followed?