Let’s be clear: Rotherham may be the worst case of child abuse in council care but if we do not change the way we conduct local government and politics it won’t be the last.
First, let’s admit that our current method of scrutinising public services locally, and especially those services delivered by a range of public organisations, such as child protection, has completely failed. Scrutiny committees of local councillors currently do not have the resources to challenge and hold to account powerful vested interests in their own councils let alone in police and health institutions. The arrogant behaviour of Shaun Wright, police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, surely now has made the case for public recall of elected officials.
Also, while we certainly should be looking at the case made by the recent Local Government Innovation Taskforce for more powerful local public accounts committees (and also the system of child protection in Scotland, which seems to produce better outcomes) we kid ourselves that this issue is about council structures and more public inquiries
While some such as the New York-based Louise Mensch seek to make political capital more reasoned commentators such as Mark Wallace on Conservative Home recognise that this is a crisis for all local politicians Fundamentally this is about the role of local councillors as advocates for their communities rather than apologists for their councils. Too often when local councillors have tried to take up issues of concern for their residents they have been pushed aside and patronised by directors and senior managers.
Councils need a robust and open discussion about what is happening to child protection in their localities and the options for improvement. Councillors should be confident about challenging some of the professional opinions. Instinctively we know that children are best provided for in a family environment and yet fostering is a minefield of restrictions and value judgements. If a family can provide a caring environment it should not really matter if they are slightly overweight, an occasional smoker or even vote Ukip.
As a party we should welcome the work of members of parliament and former MPs such as Ann Cryer, Simon Danzcuk and Tom Watson in tackling head-on the issues of child abuse and refusing to bend to political pressure.
For councillors we have the uncomfortable truth that sometimes a misplaced loyalty to party colleagues has meant that their concerns have been unstated – a problem compounded by the existence of too many councils as one-party states with weak oppositions. As a sector local government has to address the issue urgently or accept that one solution is for a reformed electoral system for local elections.
Perhaps the biggest challenge from all of this is with the police and criminal prosecution system. It is appalling that police and senior lawyers can ascribe sex with a child under 16 as consensual or a lifestyle choice. No one doubts the challenges faced by the police but we need to say as a society that this is a crime whether committed by a Catholic priest, a paedophile posing as council care staff, TV celebrity or Pakistani cab driver and prosecute without favour.
Recognising that you have a problem is the first step in recovery. For councillors and those who care about local democracy we need to admit that we have paid far too little attention to the vulnerable and the abused. We need to focus on getting this right – uncomfortable as it might be for political parties, professionals and partners in public services.
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Paul Wheeler writes on local politics.
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As a County Councillor who is Chair of a Children and Families Scrutiny Committee I have been giving a great deal of thought as to how we move on after Rotherham. It won’t be easy.
Councillors are politicians and inevitably always look for political gain but I firmly believe children’s lives are too important to be a political football.
That is why I looked at what our committee is fundamentally there to do which is scrutinise the Lead Member and advise him.
If we have an open, honest and constructive relationship based on an understanding that no one is seeking to trip each other up or make their name we have a chance of securing the transparency that will give us real assurance that the system is working or needs change.
I’m very lucky that my Conservative and LibDem colleagues felt willing to accept the challenge of getting down to non-partisan business and that trust has now been developed to secure real transparency.
Councillors can make a real difference but sometimes that means we have to shelve our natural instinct to grandstand in favour of building trust.
Many of those in high places are there as members of the Labour Party. Do our rules not forbid such high-handed if not calculated endangerment of children’ lives and it would seem systematic cover-ups? Shaun Wright in particular should answer to the party discipllnary system – not much, but all we can do, and we would be cleaning our Augean stables?
but there are more ‘northern towns’.one of the officers from rotherham is in doncaster council.
why has nothing been done.i watched panorama.i felt sick.these are labour cllrs.the nec is to take over the selection for cllrs in rotherham.i think there maybe many more.
in an editorial at the weekend it mentioned 1 child.25 men.it’s sickening.16 years nobody did anything.these are vulnerable children.why was this allowed to happen.what about the rest of the labour group on rotherham?