The National Deaf Children’s Society has forced Stoke-on-Trent City Council to reverse its plans to cut further services to deaf children in the city after challenging the decision in the High Court.

Describing the Council’s u-turn as a “landmark decision”, NDCS policy and campaigns director Brian Gale urged other local authorities to take note, listen to parents’ concerns and follow the law.

Last week, the Council signed a consent order which quashed its earlier move to cut funding for another teacher of the deaf.

The u-turn came after the charity had instructed lawyers to pursue the case in the High Court and the Court ordered the Council to immediately halt its planned cuts while the application for judicial review was considered.

Gale said the charity used legal action as a last resort because the council “ignored the concerns of parents for almost a year”.

If the decision had gone ahead, it would have left just three visiting teachers of the deaf to cater for Stoke’s 200 deaf children, down from six two years ago.

Stoke Council faced with £36m budget cut

The council had voted to save £187,000 from the special needs service from next February, as part of £36m spending cuts imposed by the government.

Councillor Debra Gratton, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “This year’s budget was the toughest the council has ever had to deliver, and the authority was forced to face an unprecedented level of savings.

“Like with all the spending cuts, this was a very difficult decision to take.

“But the welfare and education of all the city’s children is, and always will be, very important. We have listened to the arguments made by the National Deaf Children’s Society, and we have listened to parents, children and teachers.

“In light of this, it has been agreed that the original decisions be reviewed, following proper and meaningful consultation, to help us to continue to provide the best level of services for city children.”

One in five local authorities cut services

The legal challenge came as part of NCDS’s Save Services for Deaf Children campaign which launched in May 2011 after research suggested that almost one in five councils in England had reduced funding for educational support for deaf children.

Gale added: “It’s crucial that parents contact us if they experience any reduction in the service their deaf child receives. We can support them, using legal means if necessary, in ensuring that councils fulfil their duty to provide the support deaf children need to learn.”

NDCS had alleged that the council had acted unlawfully by: 

• Failing to conduct a full and lawful assessment of the needs of Stoke’s deaf children, including consulting parents of deaf children
• Failing to comply with its own Single Equality Scheme
• Failing to carry out a full equality assessment into the impact of any change in provision

Law firms Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and 11KBW had provided pro bono assistance to the charity for the case.