I will press the Government directly to ensure Blackpool is part of grooming gang inquiry

Coun Paul Galley, the leader of the opposition Conservative group on Blackpool Council, produced a shocking report on the scale of child sexual abuse in the town, which he released earlier this year.

The councillor was involved in heated discussions with the ruling Labour group at last month's Full Council meeting, when he was accused of trying to make political capital over the issue and of using an incorrect statistic from Lancashire Police in his report.

But Coun Galley, who represents the Anchorsholme ward, says he was genuinely appalled by the scale of the problem in Blackpool and says it is imperative the town is not left out of the inquiry.

He says the rest of the data in the report - including the fact that there were 1,746 recorded sex offences against children in Blackpool, was correct and cannot be ignored.

Issues of child sexual exploitation in the resort first surfaced during the Lancashire Police investigation into schoolgirl Charlene Downes, who disappeared in November 2003 and is believed to have been murdered.

Now Coun Galley says he is taking the issue directly to the Labour Government, having been in correspondence with Jess Phillips MP, the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls.

The councillor said: “I would like to thank Jess Phillips MP for her response to my letter calling for Blackpool to be included in the upcoming National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation.

“I also welcome her acknowledgement and gratitude for how I set out Blackpool’s concerns in my correspondence. Jess Philips received a copy of the report I submitted which sets out the specific and often overlooked challenges facing coastal towns like Blackpool in tackling child sexual exploitation.

“In her reply, the Minister confirms that the Government is moving swiftly to establish an independent commission under the Inquiries Act 2005, and states that my concerns will be shared with the Commission once it is formally established.

“While this acknowledgment is a positive step, it raises an important question: how will we know that Blackpool’s concerns have in fact been shared and taken seriously?

“There is no clear mechanism outlined in the response, no confirmation of how this process will be tracked or verified, and no guarantee that the issues raised will form part of the Commission’s investigations. We cannot rely solely on a statement of intent.

“That is why, once the Chair and Commission are in place, I will be seeking to engage directly with them. This issue is too important to leave to chance or informal assurances. The Commission will have the power to direct local statutory investigations, and Blackpool must not be excluded from that process.

“This is not the end of the matter—it is just the beginning. Coastal towns like ours face distinctive vulnerabilities that must be understood if we are to prevent further harm.”

He said he would make sure Blackpool’s voice is heard and that the town plays a full role in the national inquiry.

Blackpool Council's ruling Labour group says Coun Galley’s report wilfully omitted the highly-rated work of the Awaken multi-agency team, which works together to reduce the prevalence and impact of child exploitation in Blackpool.

But Deputy leader, Coun Neal Brookes, says the council will be calling on the Government to include Blackpool in the inquiry.