Medway Labour will call-in the decision taken by Cabinet to allow Medway Commercial Group (MCG) a significant role in Medway’s Special Education Needs provision.

Cllr Clive Johnson, Councillor for Gillingham South and Medway Labour Spokesperson for Children and Young People said, ‘For many years the Medway Labour Group have called on the council to “spend to save” as regards out of area SEN placements which have an impact both on council finances but more importantly the children and families involved.

‘We as the main opposition group have raised concerns about MCG as regards their delivery of CCTV services and ceasing of governors services. MCG also has no track record of large scale capital programmes.

‘There is a lack of clarity around financing of this capital programme and a lack of detail on the suitability of this particular site for this specific provision. For these reasons the Labour Group have called in the decision to ensure that when this much needed local provision is created it is done so in the most effective way, offering value for Medway taxpayers.’