Major Blackpool Council clashes over national grooming gang and child sexual exploitation inquiry

A councillor has clashed with Blackpool Council’s leadership over how the town is going to be included in a top level grooming gangs inquiry.

Cllr Paul Galley, leader of the Conservative opposition, has called on the Labour-led council to show what evidence it has submitted in support of Blackpool's submission for the Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs.

Cllr Galley claims the council has so far shown a lack of transparency over the way it is putting forward Blackpool's case.

But the council has hit back and denied this, accusing him of trying to score political points about a serious subject. It says the most important thing is that people know the council is keeping children in Blackpool safe.

Last week Cllr Galley said in a public meeting that the first four areas - Oldham, London, Bradford and Keighley - had already been chosen for the probes to start and he asked what steps Blackpool had taken to ensure it was one of the next areas

He says the town must be next, citing the tragic cases of 14 year old Charlene Downes and 15 year old Paige Chivers, both missing and the subject of separate murder investigations, and a 36-page report he compiled which he says shows the shocking numbers of sex offenders living in the resort and the number of sex offences recorded by Lancashire Police.

He was was told in meeting that Blackpool had offered itself to the inquiry and it was up to the Government where it addressed its concerns next.

But Cllr Galley says the response in the meeting did not suggest there was any urgency about what the council was doing about it.

The council says that is not the case and insists it has been completely transparent.

What councillor says

Cllr Galley said this week: “Residents and survivors deserve more than vague assurances. Saying that the Council has offered Blackpool as an area is not enough. A submission to an inquiry of this importance must be based on clear evidence, transparency and openness.

“Other areas, including Bradford and Keighley, have publicly announced moves towards independent inquiries and have been clear about the action they are taking. Blackpool residents should not be left in the dark about whether their town has been properly represented.

“This is not about political point-scoring. It is about ensuring that victims and survivors are listened to, that lessons are learned, and that public confidence is restored.”

The councillor is calling for answers on the following:

• When exactly did Blackpool Council submit its request?
• What evidence, reports, data or documentation were provided?
• What criteria was Blackpool seeking to meet?
• What response has been received from the Government or inquiry team?
• Has Blackpool been accepted for further consideration, and if not, why not?
• What timescales and next steps have been communicated to the Council?

Council’s response

Cllr Neal Brookes, Deputy Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “We are completely transparent and it is wrong to try and use an issue like grooming to try and score political points.

“Last year, we wrote to the government asking for Blackpool to be included in the national inquiry into grooming gangs. If there are things that could be learned from the past then we are open to hear them.

“We’re not in charge of whether the government selects Blackpool, and it’s worth noting that they have said that Oldham, Bradford and Keighley and London are just the first places to be inspected, so we may be included at a future date.

“What is really important for people in Blackpool to know is that children in Blackpool today are well protected and safe. Two major inspections into our children’s services last year praised the way we keep our children safe, in particular praising the work of Awaken which protects children who are at risk of exploitation.”