The Liberal Democrats want to see the promised report from the review on historic allegations of child sexual exploitation to be published in advance of the 14 July meeting of the Full Council and for time to be set aside to debate the report at the meeting.

The Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has sent his request to the Leader of Oldham Council and the Chief Executive on 25 May and yet has had no response or acknowledgement (a response has now arrived).

In November 2019, Oldham Council and the Oldham Safeguarding Partnership commissioned the independent review from the Mayor of Greater Manchester.  Two experienced investigators, Malcolm Newsam MBE, a childcare expert, and Gary Ridgeway, formerly a senior police officer specialising in public protection, are now working to finalise their report. 

In December 2020, the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, who has just been re-appointed, promised to publish the findings in the ‘middle of 2021’ and councillor Sykes wants to see that promise fulfilled.

“We are now almost ‘in the middle of 2021’ so it is my hope that the report will soon be published and that an agenda item can be tabled for the 14 July Council meeting so we can debate it”, said councillor Sykes.  “If there is a further delay, I have asked for a special council meeting to be held to discuss the report.”