Councillor resigns as a result of remarks

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A councillor has stepped down from a committee after coming under fire for comments suggesting parenting skills were partly to blame for autism cases.

Angela Sandison told a Solihull Council children's services scrutiny committee meeting some mothers should be encouraged not to spend much time on their phones.

Ms Sandison has apologised. She said she never meant to blame parents.

The Conservative councillor made the original comments while highlighting high rates of autism in the area, which are almost double the regional and national average by the time children reached secondary school.

She questioned whether cases were being "over-diagnosed" and whether so many children actually needed a place in a special school.

"Can we put in some early intervention, like with parenting skills, so... we do not have so many cases," Ms Sandison asked council officers.

"In a previous generation of children they'd never even heard of autism and now we've got so many."

One small study, referenced by Ms Sandison, has suggested parental support could reduce by two-thirds the number of three-year-olds meeting the criteria for diagnosis.

The council said it had received at least 15 complaints in relation to the Council's Code of Conduct following the comments.

Opposition Green Party and Liberal Democrat groups later called for Ms Sandison to be removed from the committee.

In a statement on Friday, Ms Sandison said: "In no way is autism due to bad parenting.
"Autism is real and I in no way meant to blame parents. I unreservedly apologise. I am very sorry for the upset caused and I would like to offer my resignation from the scrutiny board."

A councillor has been suspended by the Conservative party after she made comments suggesting parenting skills were partly to blame for autism cases.

The board's chairman said on Twitter she had also had the Tory whip removed.
Michael Gough said: "The leader has informed Angela Sandison of her suspension from the Conservative group, pending further investigations as a result of the comments made at the children's services scrutiny meeting last week."

North Solihull Additional Needs Parent Support Group said it had been "inundated" with concerns from "upset and angry" families.

Formal complaints were also submitted to the local authority.

Council Leader Ian Courts has also promised to work with parents and carers to allow "further learning for all elected members on all aspects of working and living with children and young people with special needs".