MCE -v- Cambridgeshire County Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2026-LON-003309

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court

22 July 2026

Before:

The Hon. Mrs Justice Ellenbogen DBE

Between:

THE KING on the application of
MCE (BY HIS LITIGATION FRIEND, MIK)

-v-

Cambridgeshire County Council

Order

On an application by the Claimant, dated 14 July 2026, for urgent interim relief; expedition; and an order granting anonymity

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER by The Hon. Mrs Justice Ellenbogen DBE

    1. The identities of the Claimant and his litigation friend in these proceedings shall not be published.
    1. Pursuant to CPR Rule 39.2(4), there shall not be disclosed in any report of these proceedings, or other publication (by whatever medium) in relation to these proceedings, the name or address of the Claimant or of his litigation friend, or any other matters which could lead to the identification of either of them.
    2. In any report of these proceedings, or other publication (by whatever medium) in relation to these proceedings, the Claimant shall be referred to as “MCE”; his litigation friend as “MIK”; and any matters which could lead to the identification of either of them shall be redacted.
    3. Pursuant to CPR Rule 5.4C:
      (a) a person who is not a party to the proceedings may obtain a copy of a claim form, judgment or order from the court records only if the same has been anonymised and redacted in accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Order;
      (b) if a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies for permission to obtain a copy of any other document or communication, such application shall be made on at least 7 days’ written notice to the Claimant’s solicitors;
      (c) any interested party, whether or not a party to the proceedings, may apply to the Court to vary or revoke paragraphs 1 to 4(b) of this Order, provided that any such application is made on written notice to the Claimant’s solicitors and that no fewer than 3 days’ prior written notice of the intention to make such an application is given.
    4. This Order shall be published on the website of the Judiciary of England and Wales pursuant to CPR r.39.2(5)
    5. By 4:00pm on Friday 24 July 2026, the Defendant shall file and serve a response to the Claimant’s application for urgent interim relief and expedition.
    6. By 4:00pm on Tuesday 28 July 2026, the Claimant may file and serve any reply to the Defendant’s response.
    7. By no later than midday on Wednesday 29 July 2026, the file shall be restored to a judge of the Administrative Court for consideration of all then appropriate orders and/or directions, which may include a hearing on short notice to the parties.
    8. Costs reserved.

    Reasons

    1. This application has been referred to me today as ‘immediates’ judge.
    2. The Claimant is a six-year-old child with acknowledged complex special educational needs. By his claim for judicial review, he seeks to challenge the Defendant’s ongoing failure to have completed an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (‘EHCNA’), and to have issued a final Education, Health and Care Plan (‘EHCP’) within the statutory timescale of 20 weeks from the date of request. That failure is said to be a product of a wider systemic problem, itself said to have been acknowledged by the Defendant.
    3. The request for an EHCNA was made by the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at the school which the Claimant attends on 26 November 2025. The need for an EHCNA was acknowledged by the Defendant on 18 December 2025. As at the date of the Claimant’s application, the EHCNA was said to have stalled and the EHCP to have been more than 11 weeks overdue. As a result, it is said, the Claimant’s education is suffering and his special needs persist and widen, adversely affecting his educational progress and emotional wellbeing and causing distress to his family. Temporary funding of support to date, provided by the school from its own resources, is said not to be sustainable. The Claimant seeks urgent ‘interim’ relief requiring completion of the EHCNA within 14 days and a short timetable for all further necessary steps to be taken. He also seeks expedition of a decision on permission, and, should permission be granted, of determination of his claim.
    4. This matter is intrinsically urgent. The court would be assisted by the Defendant’s response to the application, which, consistent with that urgency, it must be given suitable time to provide. The timetable set out in the above orders strikes the appropriate balance.
      Anonymity
    5. The Claimant is a young child whose personal circumstances are sensitive. Non disclosure of his identity, and that of his litigation friend, is necessary for the protection of his interests. The potentially competing rights to freedom of expression and a fair trial (the principle of open justice) are protected by the liberty to apply provision made by paragraph 4 of the above orders, in which the term ‘any interested party’ would encompass representatives of the Press and other media.