Child sex grooming: Roger Ellis' evidence contradicted by former Executive Director

Cheryl Eastwood

Cheryl Eastwood, former Executive Director, Children's Services, Rochdale Borough Council has contradicted former Chief Executive Roger Ellis' claim to a Parliamentary Select Committee that he knew nothing of the problem of sexual exploitation in Rochdale Borough.

Answering a question from the committee chairman, Keith Vaz MP, about whether she had briefed Mr Ellis, something that Mr Ellis had previously categorically told the committee had not happened, Ms Eastwood said it had and that she had briefed Mr Ellis.

Ms Eastwood also said she did not intend to give the impression that sexual grooming is a new phenomenon. Local MP Simon Danczuk alleges Ms Eastwood made this observation to him.

Ms Eastwood did acknowledge that the response given to the victims by Rochdale Borough Council Children's Services in 2008/09, before she took up her post at the council, was very poor, saying "my heart goes out to them".

Also giving evidence to the committee was Steve Garner, former Head of Children’s Social Care. Mr Garner had missed a previous committee hearing citing ill health but assured the committee chairman he was well enough to attend today's enquiry hearing.

Mr Garner, whilst he did offer an apology to victims and their families, repeatedly used the phrase "missed opportunities" rather than giving a simple yes in acknowledgement of his department's failings, when questioned about his department letting down the victims.

Keith Vaz told Mr Garner he did not believe he could not have known about the problem of sexual exploitation in the borough, Mr Garner claimed he did not know the magnitude of the problem and that he had focussed only on individual cases.

Mr Garner did say that private care homes were not to blame, contradicting the impression given by Councillor Colin Lambert.  

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/75011/roger-ellis-feels-no-personal-culpability

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/74897/former-service-director-of-targeted-services-too-ill-to-face-mps

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/74096/private-care-company-calls-in-the-lawyers-over-council-leaders-comments