4. Will the Minister provide an update on the SenCom service in Gwent? OAQ53957

Can I thank the Member for the question? Following a competitive tender exercise, the Welsh Local Government Association has now appointed an independent contractor to undertake a review of the SenCom service. My officials will remain in regular contact with the WLGA as this review progresses.

Thank you, Minister, and I'm really relieved that there is now somebody appointed to take this forward, because I'm sure, like me, you recognise that the uncertainty hanging over SenCom has been very poor for the staff morale in the service. I'd like to thank you for your oversight and input into this, and I'm pleased to hear that that's going to continue. I wonder if you would join me today in recognising the vitally important work that the staff at SenCom do, not just at the centre, but in the work that they do in upskilling teachers and others across Gwent to work with children with sensory impairments, and will you agree to visit the centre with me, in Cwmbran, to meet with staff and some of the children and families as soon as your diary allows?

Well, Lynne, I would be delighted to visit the staff and to see for myself the nature of their work, which I know has been greatly valued by you, as the local Member, schools in the area and, most importantly of all, the parents and young people who are directly affected by that service. My understanding is that the review will be completed before the end of the current school term, and that the review will indeed take the opportunity to meet with political leaders and senior managers in each of the local authorities, SenCom staff themselves and parents whose children are in receipt of the service. And, as I gave my assurance to you earlier, my officials will be keeping a very close eye to ensure that that timetable is met. But I would be delighted, as I said, to visit the service for myself. And can I take this opportunity to thank you, as well as other Members who have taken a keen interest in this, and also the leader of Torfaen council, Councillor Anthony Hunt, who has shown great leadership in this regard and a great passion for this service? I'm grateful to everybody involved.

I also agree with the comments that Lynne Neagle has made. We have been asking you and, indeed, the First Minister about this issue for some time. I welcome the agreements that have been put in place by the five local authority leaders so that SenCom, a very valuable service, will continue in its current form until 2022, I think I'm right in saying. This should give greater security to the skilled staff.

It has to be said, Minister, that we ended up in this position because one of the partners—at least one of the partners—gave six months' notice, I think it was, about their decision to withdraw. I appreciate there are pressures on local authorities, but, really, we don't want this sort of situation to happen again with such short notice in future. So, I wonder whether you could tell us what steps you could take to make sure that this sort of situation doesn't arise in the future and that vulnerable children are given the security that they need to make sure that these sorts of services are going to continue to be available to them.

Can I thank the Member for his recognition of the value of the SenCom service in his area? It is, indeed, a matter of regret to me that there has been any alarm or confusion caused in this process. It's been a difficult time, I know, for the staff and for the families.

Undoubtedly, as you said, there are pressures on councils' budgets. That means, actually, we need councils to work more closely together on more areas, rather than think that they're able to deliver a comprehensive service by working on their own. In these specialist areas, it is by working together and pooling resources to create a regional service that we can best meet the needs of children and young people who have very, very specific support needs.