Statutory timescales continue over the holiday period and due to this we will need to continue to send consultations to settings over the Christmas break.

We recognise that continuing to send consultations over holiday periods can cause worry.

In recognition of this, where a consultation deadline falls during the Christmas holiday period and the local authority has not received a consultation response, we will not proceed to naming any setting without first making contact with the settings throughout the first week of term.

We would ask you to return any overdue consultations as early as possible into the first week of term in January 2025.