Question 1 – Rotherham and child protection

My first question this evening concerns the tragic details revealed in a recent Independent Report commissioned by Rotherham Council about the failure of Children’s Services and other agencies in the Local Authority area to address child sexual exploitation over many years.

Professor Alexis Jay’s Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham covering the period 1997 to 2013 found there was a lack of scrutiny and challenge; a chronic failure of senior councillors, staff members and police officers to engage with the problem; and an inability of both councillors and the Local Safeguarding Board to monitor and challenge practices within the Council.

Whilst the Report focusses only on the failures of the agencies in Rotherham, previous cases show that these problems are not exclusive to one area and that every Local Authority needs to learn lessons from this report to ensure that its own services conform to best practice.

The Leader will recall that, immediately following the publication of Professor Jay’s Report, I wrote to both the Chief Executive and himself seeking reassurance that Oldham Council will be conducting its own review in light of the findings. I am pleased that the prompt response contained such an assurance.

This is not an issue from which to make political capital so I want now to state for the record that the Liberal Democrat Group will be fully supportive of such a Review.

But for the information of all Councillors in this Chamber, and concerned citizens who are listening or watching these proceedings tonight, I would like to ask the Leader when and how the Council will be conducting this Review, and when we might expect to receive the findings?

Question 2 – Community Health Champions

My second question concerns the health of our employees.

As a Local Authority and employer, we have statutory duties to promote public health and the health and safety of our employees.

This should extend to providing them with advice and support to adopt healthy lifestyle choices and to address behaviour that may damage their health.

I make here particular reference to smoking, an issue of great concern to Councillors of all Parties.

Smoking is the harbinger of death and chronic illness to many, but for a Local Authority it also leads to greater employee absenteeism and a loss of productivity, meaning serious financial costs for this Council.

It is therefore particularly in our self-interest to reduce the prevalence of smoking amongst its workforce.

The NHS Health Improvement Team is now recruiting Community Health Champions in workplaces to promote healthy lifestyle choices to co-workers and to address behaviour that can lead to ill-health, such as smoking.

The Council has established the Employee Supported Volunteering Scheme and I am convinced that this represents an excellent mechanism to recruit employees from all sections of this Council to train as Community Health Champions.

I believe the Council should establish a programme of work for these volunteers with measurable targets monitored by the team of the Director of Public Health covering initially the period to National No Tobacco Day 31st May 2015.

Will the Leader agree to take forward this proposal?

Question 3 – Honouring The Great War Heroes

My third question concerns our recognition of three local men who in the First World War won Britain’s highest military award, The Victoria Cross.

I am sure the Leader will recall the correspondence that he received last year from my colleague, the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Cllr John McCann, requesting that local streets be named after local heroes.

Local Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has commissioned commemorative paving stones to be laid as a mark of honour and remembrance in the locality of every Great War VC winner.

In announcing the initiative, Mr Pickles said: “It’s our duty to remember the British and Commonwealth troops who lost their lives fighting in the Great War and we are determined to make sure their bravery for King and Country is not forgotten.”

Sentiments that I am sure the Leader will endorse.

Three paving stones will be received for local heroes John Hogan, of Royton; Walter Mills, of Oldham; and Thomas Steele, of Springhead.
Lest we forget their heroic deeds, please allow me to give a brief summary.

Sergeant John Hogan, of the 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment, received his VC from King George V in 1915. He was awarded the VC for recapturing a trench near Festubert in October, 1914.

Private Walter Mills was awarded the VC posthumously after he was caught in a gas attack on the Western Front in December 1917. Despite being gassed, a truly horrible fate, he remained at his post alone, throwing grenades until the enemy retreated.

Private Thomas Steele served with the 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders in Mesopotamia (now Iraq). He was awarded his VC for an action in January, 1917, when he helped a comrade carry a machine gun into position under heavy fire.

Can I ask the Leader if he and Councillor Ball will agree to work with me, Cllr McCann and ward members to identify new developments where these gallant men might have local streets named after them?

Howard Sykes
10 September 2014