Surrey’s lead for children’s service has announced she is standing down from her role and she will not be standing for re-election.

Councillor Clare Curran has stepped down to become deputy cabinet member for children services with a particular focus on SEND. 

Cllr Curran said she has decided to stand down after four successful years as children service’s boss for the county but will continue to focus on SEND services.

The news comes after a turbulent week for the councillor, including an apparent U-turn on ‘closing down communication channels’ with Surrey MPs for individual cases when “where a more appropriate alternative route is available”, although there is no suggestion this is behind  her move.

The county’s children service’s boss denied communication was being cut back or closed down at a full council meeting on May 20. Cllr Curran insisted she wanted to hear from MPs and work constructively with them. 

“I will not stand by and allow some members to denigrate the work of this council and our officers who are achieving good and improving outcomes for the residents of Surrey,” said the leader of the county council, Tim Oliver.

He praised Cllr Curran and the whole department for the turnaround in children services since the new administration.

Replacing Cllr Curran is Cllr Jonathan Hulley, who was deputy cabinet member for Strategic Highways.

Cllr Clare Curran said in a statement: “After leading the Children, Families and Lifelong Learning portfolio for four years, and successfully supporting the children’s social care services on their journey from an ‘Inadequate’ rating to achieving a ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted in the recent ILACS inspection, I have decided to stand down as Lead Cabinet Member.

“I am taking on the role of Deputy Cabinet Member in order fully to concentrate on improvements to SEND while the service goes through fundamental change with Local Government Reorganisation, and having served as an elected representative continuously for 25 years, I will not be seeking election again to one of the unitary authorities.

“I look forward to working with Cllr Hulley and will do all I can to support him in his new role”

The county council has come under fire in recent years for having one of the highest SEND tribunal appeal rates in England. Around 198 SEND-related complaints have also been upheld against it by the Local Government Ombudsman since the start of 2022. 

The Surrey authority would say it has invested £15m into a three-year recovery and improvement plan and is significantly investing in supporting SEND children both inside school and out.

Its most recent Ofsted SEND area inspection found that children with SEND had “inconsistent experiences and outcomes”. Communication between services and families remains a consistent problem, but the council said it is working hard to “crack” the issue. 

But despite the three-year improvement plan and the significant progress the council has made, Cllr Curran has decided to step down to deputy. Cllr Maureen Attewell has also stepped down from her position as deputy for children services. 

Surrey Liberal Democrat MPs have welcomed what they called “accountability for the county’s SEND services” with the key councillors stepping down.

In a joint statement, the Lib Dem MPs said: “As Surrey MPs all we want is to improve the lives of those we represent. Never again should Surrey County Council disgracefully dismiss the agony of Surrey families as merely ‘articulate Surrey parents’.

“We are keen to work with Surrey County Council in delivering the best possible outcomes for SEND children in Surrey and hope this is the start of a wider cultural shift in prioritising the delivery of SEND education.”