Suffolk Tory Sam Murray suspended over special needs care sacking call

Sam Murray said she has felt "let down like many other families" by her own council

A Conservative councillor has been suspended after calling for a "resignation or sacking" over special educational needs provision "problems".

Sam Murray said she has a child who receives special needs provision and had been "let down" by Conservative-controlled Suffolk County Council.

The councillor had said she would be "selling her soul to the devil if she stayed silent any longer".

Council leader Matthew Hicks said efforts were being made to "improve".

Mrs Murray was suspended by her party after making the comments.

'Obvious problems'

A report by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission said on Tuesday that too many children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) "get lost in the system and fall through the cracks" in Suffolk.

It had inspected services provided by authorities including Suffolk County Council, NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board, along with NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB.

It said children were in a system that had "not worked well for a long time".

Mrs Murray described the "problems" as "obvious".

Sam Murray said her son was diagnosed as autistic at the age of four

"I entered the world of politics to make a positive difference and I believe I have," she said in a Facebook post.

"But the hardest part of this journey for almost three years now has been around special educational needs and disabilities."

Suffolk County Council leader Matthew Hicks said the council would "do everything we can to improve the service'

Mrs Murray added: "I go home every time as a ball of frustration feeling like nothing is changing."

She said there was "certainly a lack of leadership".

"This Ofsted report has kept me awake at night," she said.

"A political resignation or sacking needs to happen."

She went on: "I am a Conservative councillor and part of the Conservative group.

"But above that I am a parent of Send children that has been let down, like many other families.

"My loyalty is with those families."

Mr Hicks said: "I want to reiterate my apology to the children and the families who have experienced a very difficult time.

"We will do everything we can to improve the service."