‘Council dodging challenge over sex abuse probe’
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And critics of the council say a failure to address the issue might result in a lack of transparency that could undermine the process.
Concerns were highlighted by veteran Conservative councillor Bill Armer, who submitted SEVEN written questions, all related to the grooming and sexual abuse of vulnerable, isolated and under-age girls, at a meeting of Kirklees’ full council last month.
None of the questions were heard due to time constraints.
However Clr Armer (Con, Kirkburton) said he was “surprised and frustrated” not to receive written responses as he had in the past.
Instead he had to appeal directly to council chief executive, Jacqui Gedman, after which he received “all but one” of his answers.
The council says its procedure is to refer unanswered questions to the next relevant Cabinet meeting for a reply unless the councillor asking the question requests a written response within seven days of the full council meeting.
But Clr Armer said the practice could be interpreted negatively.
“Previous practice was that elected members would receive an email, usually a week after. That didn’t happen this time. Not to anybody (who put questions in), not just to me personally.
“I asked why and was told it was due to the council constitution. It had never been brought to my attention before. That was a change of practice. I don’t know why the practice changed or when that happened.
“It seems a little strange that this unannounced correction to erroneous past practice, or new-found reliance on this paragraph, has come at a time when a series of challenging questions had been timed-out. No doubt purely coincidental.”
Among Clr Armer’s questions was one to Council Leader Clr Shabir Pandor. It asked: “Is the Leader confident that this council has, from 2000 to date, consistently discharged its duties under the relevant Children Acts?”
Clr Pandor’s response was: “It is a matter of public record that this council has been delivering inadequate children’s services under successive administrations and therefore I cannot give you assurance that it has consistently discharged its duties under the Children Act over that time-frame, nor can any member in this chamber.
“It’s really important that this council remains united in its efforts to achieve the best outcomes for local children.” Clr Armer rejected the answer as “a classic of misdirection.
“He interprets the question very narrowly as he interprets it as referring to Children’s Social Services.
“It may appear that there are broader issues within the council. He is deflecting away from that. He is alluding to disunity but there is no political disunity that I am aware of. As far as I am concerned there are no party political issues here.
“For the first decade of this century Kirklees had successive administrations formed by the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Labour. Overall responsibility is shared between officers and elected members.”
To shed light on the enormity of the CSE scandal and how it happened the Conservative group demanded a judge-led inquiry, held in public and outside the jurisdiction of the council and its partners.
In an amendment tabled by the Labour group and the Lib Dems and supported by the Greens and Independents, it was agreed that any review should look at England and Wales.