Agenda item

Progress Update on the Oldham Review of Safeguarding Practice

Minutes:

Council noted an overview of support that the Council and its statutory safeguarding partners were providing to the ongoing independent review into historical safeguarding practice in Oldham which was launched in November 2019.  Due to the independent nature of the review, an update on the current lines of enquiry or any findings could not be given until the review was completed and the Independent Review Team had reported.  This was expected towards the end of the calendar year.

 

In November 2019, Oldham Council and Oldham Safeguarding Partnership had commissioned an independent review into historical safeguarding practice in Oldham.  The review was established in response to allegations and concerns related to child sexual exploitation (CSE) raised by members of the public on social media.  The Leader of Oldham Council and the Chair of Oldham’s Safeguarding Partnership wrote jointly to the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Safeguarding Standards Board requesting a dedicated investigation into the effectiveness of the response to historic CSE in Oldham be carried out by the existing Independent Review Team who were already delivering an assurance exercise into Greater Manchester CSE practice. 

 

The Independent Review Team, Malcolm Newsam CBE, a child-care expert with extensive experience driving improvement in children’s services, and Gary Ridgeway, previously a Detective Superintendent and Head of Public Protection, were currently undertaking a review of the practice of Oldham Council and its partner safeguarding agencies in response to allegations of child sexual exploitation.

 

The review would focus on historical allegations related to Child Sexual Exploitation and would consider whether the Council, along with its statutory safeguarding partners, provided an appropriate response to protect children vulnerable to or known to be victims of child sexual exploitation.  The scope of the review included, but was not limited to:

·         The Council and its statutory safeguarding partners response to allegations of CSE between 2011 and 2014 with particular reference to concerns expressed on social media that agencies were aware of the abuse, failed to respond appropriately and covered up any failings.

·         The risk posed to children from local shisha establishments during the period 2011 – 2014;

·         The nature and extent to which adults had inappropriate access to children and young people resident in children’s homes in Oldham during 2011 – 2014;

·         The nature and extent of the use of local taxi services to access children and young people for the purposes of CSE during 2011 – 2014;

·         Allegations or concerns expressed related to specific cases; and

·         The cases of known offenders previously employed by Oldham Council and the extent to which the historical actions and employment records had been investigated by the Council.

Additionally, where it was considered necessary to inform the overall purpose of the review, the review team had, and would continue to consider matters outside of the 2011 – 2014 timeframe.

 

The full terms of the reference were appended to the report.

 

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) provided overall governance of the review and oversight was provided by a GM Steering Group which met regularly and was chaired by the Deputy GM Mayor.  GMCA provided administrative support to the Review Team.

 

The report provided a progress update and the support provide by the Council to the Review Team.

 

Question received from Councillor H. Gloster:

 

“Prior to the commissioning of the enquiry in November 2019 were the Leaders of the three political groups on the Council consulted, were they all aware of the proposed scope and terms of reference for the enquiry, and did they all agree to the enquiry being commissioned on this basis?”

 

Councillor Fielding, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills responded that a meeting was held with the Chief Executive, Leader of the Council and Group Leaders to share and discuss the scope and Terms of Reference prior to the commencement of the review.  The terms of reference were freely available on the Council’s website.

 

Question received from Councillor Sykes:

 

“How long have similar reviews taken to complete, so that we can have some idea of when the final findings are likely to be reported?

How will they be shared, and will there be opportunity for elected members to discuss them with the report tabled as a specific agenda item at a future meeting of the Full Council?

Although the years 2011 – 2014 were chosen for the focus of the enquiry, ‘the Review Team have, and will continue to consider matters outside of the 2011 – 2014 timeframe’.  Why were the years 2011 – 2014 specifically chosen for the focus of this enquiry?  How many witnesses have been interviewed about events outside of this period, and which years do these events span?”

 

Councillor Fielding, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills responded that it was very difficult to give an accurate timescale given every review was different in scope and scale.  A progress review was expected to be completed by the Review Team by December 2020.  Following this progress review, the Council expected to be advised by the Review Team of the timescale for any additional work that needed to be completed.  The findings of the Review would be published and made available to Members of the Council and the Public.  This would include being tabled at a future Full Council meeting and Oldham Safeguarding Partnership Board and any other relevant meeting or committee.  The period 2011 – 2014 was determined to be the most appropriate timescale to ensure that the issues and allegations being circulated online could be addressed.  However, the Review Team were not limited to the period 2011-2014 and could investigate any other specific concerns they identified outside that time period.  The Council was aware form information requested that the Review Team had used this flexibility and had considered evidence dating back to 2006 and as recently as 2017.  As this was an independent enquiry, the Council was not aware of the total number of witnesses interviewed by the Review Team.

 

Question received from Councillor C. Gloster:

 

“How were the members of the Review team selected; specifically, what was the process of selection, what factors favoured the selection of Mr. Newsham and Mr. Ridgeway, and how was Oldham Council involved in the process?”

 

Councillor Fielding, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills responded that Oldham Council and its Safeguarding Partnership had not been involved in the selection of the members of the Review Team.  The Independent Review Team comprised Malcolm Newsam CBE, previously a Director of Children’s Services for a number of Local Authorities, with extensive experience driving improvement in children’s services and Gary Ridgeway, previously a Detective Superintendent and Head of Public Protection.  The Review Team were already in place having been commissioned by GMCA to conduct the Manchester review which had culminated in the publication of a report entitled ‘An Assurance Review of Operation Augusta’ published in January 2020.

 

Question received from Councillor Al-Hamdani:

 

“The national Home Office-sponsored Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has recently concluded its hearings of the sexual exploitation of children and young people by organised networks.

The Liberal Democrat Group wrote to IICSA to ask if it would actively engage with the investigation in Oldham.  IICSA replied that they were examining six other areas across the UK which had been chosen to represent a range of sizes, demographics and institutional practices, and it had not seen it necessary to liaise with the Oldham investigation.  We are believe that as the Oldham enquiry is looking at similar issues to the IICSA investigation, it would be common sense to share outcomes, so that any conclusions that applied could be implemented quickly and effectively to enhance the safety and protection of children and young people in Oldham and elsewhere in the country.  Can the Leader or Cabinet Member please provide me with the reassurance tonight that we will make every effort to work with IICSA to make it so?”

 

Councillor Fielding, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills responded that Oldham Council had been in contact with the Home Office who were aware of the Oldham Review.  The Leader assured that the Council would do all that it could to ensure that the learning from the Review was shared with IICSA.  The Council would also bring learning from the IICSA to Oldham Council and the Safeguarding Partnership.

 

Question received from Councillor Hamblett:

 

“The progress report acknowledges the difficulties for survivors of talking to the Review Team about their experiences and recognises that a sensitive approach is required.  It does not provide any information on what follow-up support is made available for them after their interview.  Could you provide any information on what support is made available to those survivors once they have completed their interviews?”

 

Councillor Fielding, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills responded that support for any survivors of CSE identified by the Review had been made available from St. Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Manchester.  The centre offered a wide range of support and aftercare for victims which included ongoing counselling.

 

Question received from Councillor Harkness:

 

“The terms of reference specify that there will be a first Gateway Review, expected at the end of this year.  Will this specifically identify any additional key lines of enquiry that it is recommended should be pursued to provide further reassurance?  If someone wanted to ensure that this additional assurance was delivered, or to ensure that any additional lines of investigation were covered, how would they respond at that stage?”

 

Councillor Fielding, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills responded that Gateway Review was an opportunity for the Review Team to share their progress in reviewing the evidence.  At this point, the Team would highlight if they felt they needed to investigate any further matters before reporting their findings.  It was not the best opportunity for any additional lines to be fed in by others.  The Leader urged that anyone with concerns or allegations that they felt needed to be included to contact the Review Team directly.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1.    The ongoing work to support the Independent Review be noted.

2.    The questions and responses provided be noted.

Supporting documents: