A MONMOUTHSHIRE county councillor has criticised the way the authority has consulted parents over possible changes to how children with special educational needs (SENs) have transport provided to them.

Thornwell councillor Armand Watts criticised the council’s cabinet member for children and young people Cllr Liz Hacket Pain for not looking to directly meet with concerned parents after the council voted to amend its policy earlier this month.

In September, 32 students aged between 16 and 19 with SENs saw council-provided transport to their colleges around Gwent discontinued just before the start of the school year – although after an appeals process, a number have seen theirs reinstated.

Cllr Watts said: “There are quite a few people who want to understand and ensure that other people are identified because we have had a number of people who have obviously been excluded.

“(Cllr Hacket Pain) is just ignoring it. She thinks it has all gone away because they amended the policy. If she wants the responsibility she should live up to it.”

But Cllr Hacket Pain said criticism was “unfair” and that the council was looking to consult with parents on a change of the policy to improve it for the future. She said views will be taken into consideration as part of a steering group she is chairing. Councillors will meet on December 3 to discuss policy arrangements.

She said: “All we are trying to do is help and make it better – the change in policy will need to go through the normal procedure.”

A council spokesman said a steering group to decide SEN policy met last week and policy would be delivered early next year.