Roger Ellis should return pay off, says MP

Roger Ellis

Rochdale’s MP, Simon Danczuk, has called for former Rochdale Council chief executive Roger Ellis to repay the pay off Mr Ellis received when he left the council in the wake of the child sex grooming scandal.

Mr Danczuk has backed the findings of a lengthy investigation into child sexual exploitation and grooming, calling for the Communities Secretary to stop local authority bosses being rewarded for failing to protect vulnerable children from years of abuse.

He said the Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry into child grooming had revealed a catastrophic failure on the part of Rochdale Council bosses to tackle a child abuse epidemic on their doorstep. Many have subsequently quietly retired with undisclosed payoffs.

The report argues that council bosses must “be held accountable for the appalling consequences of their indifference to the suffering of vulnerable children”.

Mr Danczuk has written to the Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, calling for him to take steps to claw back some of the generous pay off and pensions made to the former Rochdale Council chief executive, Roger Ellis, who presided over the scandal. The Council’s own inquiry found that Roger Ellis did not “appear to be interested in child social care issues”. The chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Keith Vaz MP, described Mr Ellis’ evidence as “deeply disappointing”.

“I have long campaigned for council bosses to be held accountable for turning a blind eye to child abuse and this report comes to the same conclusion,” said Mr Danczuk.

“The problem is that council officers in Rochdale, who ignored pleas for help by young girls and presided over a system that failed to protect children being abused, have not been held accountable. Just look at the case of the former chief executive, Roger Ellis. He was rewarded for failure and left with a bumper payoff and councillors singing his praises.”

He added that the Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, had to stop a culture of council bosses being rewarded for failure and being allowed to quietly retire to avoid disciplinary action.

“The Home Affairs Select Committee report makes it very clear that Rochdale Council officials who let down young children should not be allowed to evade responsibility,” he said. “At the moment the system allows bosses to leave with payoffs, escape disciplinary action and take up work with another authority with the same responsibility for children. This can’t be right and the Communities Secretary has to take action to maintain the integrity of local government. This is an appalling advert for public services. I am sure the victims of child abuse who were so badly let down would be disgusted at what’s happening.”

 http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/80765/sexually-exploited-children-still-being-failed