A RADICAL shake-up of education for children with special needs moved a step closer last night.

Councillors agreed to launch a statutory consultation on the sweeping changes to provision for disabled young people.

The proposed alterations will affect special schools and children with special needs within mainstream schools.

Kirklees Council’s Labour Cabinet agreed to the consultation at a meeting at Dewsbury Town Hall last night.

Council leader Clr Mehboob Khan – whose 16-year-old daughter has special needs – spoke in favour of the plan.

He said: “I’m the proud father of Maryam Khan, who is a deaf child, and who has just left Newsome High and is now going on to Kirklees College to study health and social care.

“I’m very confident that children with special needs are made to feel included.”

The proposed changes would mean the number of places for children with special needs in mainstream schools would drop from 244 to 188.

Positions at special schools in Kirklees would fall from 596 to 576.

But Kirklees Cabinet member for schools Clr Cath Harris stressed the changes were not about reducing spending.

The Ashbrow Labour woman said: “This is intended to be cost-neutral, it’s about reconfiguring services, not about potential reductions.”

The Cabinet unanimously approved a consultation on the proposals which will run for six weeks in September and October. The changes are due to come into force from September 2012.