Cllr Paul Lakin your response leaves more questions than it answers; it also leaves me even more concerned for the safety of children in the Borough.
Following Operation Central here in Rotherham
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/around-yorkshire/local-stories/gang-jailed-for-32-years-over-sex-offences-against-care-girls-1-3024341
I took the time to find out about grooming and what as parents we could do to protect our family, to my horror I found that RMBC had not produced any publically available material aimed at informing parents and carers on what to look out for, there are no links from the RMBC website, there are no links from the Safeguarding website to CEOP, CROP etc
http://www.cropuk.org.uk/warning-signs
How many parents would even think to monitor the level of credit on their sons or daughters pay-as-you-go mobile to see if there was always more credit on than you pay for and what that could mean.
A search of local libraries also failed to find any information from RMBC.
A Google search to see if any one of the 58 Labour Councillors had spoken out, not a word, I drew a blank; I spoke to local and national journalists who all seemed perplexed as to why RMBC had not taken a more robust and open approach.
I looked to see if any of the local faith based community leaders had spoken out or tried to convene a multi community task group, no, not a word.
Anything from Martin Kimber?
Not a peep.
I fully understand that some of the countermeasures being deployed against perpetrators cannot be shared in public, but parents do need to know what to look out for, I like the suggestion from Dave Smith and Gillian Radcliffe, what about it Cllr Lakin?
Individuals such as Casstrickland make impassioned comments only to be undermined by commentators who as far as I can tell have not made any contribution to the fight against grooming and exploitation.
On the issue of bullying, rank hypocrisy from you Cllr Lakin and the other commentators on this blog, where were you all when RMBC Social Workers were on the knees with unsafe caseloads and incidents of serious bullying from their managers?
Take a look at the 2009 report for details or scan one of the many social worker blogs.
For those individuals who suggest that there is bullying on this site try this for being bullied, when at 13 years old you are locked in a room dreading the door to open and to see a group of men about to abuse you.
http://www.mydangerousloverboy.com/what/
Keep it up folks I am sure the perpetrators just love it when you try to stop people being informed and you try to play down the severity of the issue,.
I really don’t know how you all sleep at night.
Cllr Lakin two of your colleagues did try to enter the debate Cllr Jahangir Akhtar and Cllr Shabana Ahmed and were stopped; I know this from three highly reliable RMBC sources so please do not even try to deny it.
Why would you want to stop the public knowing about this growing menace?
If you live in Bolton the whole community is working together to root out this problem, its being done very publically and with the local media spearheading a campaign, here in Rotherham nothing in the public domain, are our children less important?
What are you and your colleagues trying to cover up Cllr Lakin?
RMBC has form on trying to cover serious issues up, take the latest serious case review which RMBC tried to conceal using a range of excuses including community cohesion, (see the safeguarding minutes December 2011).
Get off the politically correct fence Cllr Lakin and make a stand for children.
As late as last week professionals in RMBC and other key stakeholders had still not been fully briefed on the serious case review, I know I asked them.
I do recognise that you inherited a real mess from Cllr Shaun Wright, but you have had more than ample time to move beyond adequate.
You chose to stand for public office, and you take the financial rewards, I will not stop bringing your name into the debate and those of other RMBC Councillors who are fail our children.
Rest assured Cllr Lakin I have only just started.
On a final point I have spoken with Ofsted and asked that RMBC is subject to more unannounced inspections, they have the matter in hand.
Cerberus.
Rotherham Politics 
Thank you Cerberus for another well argued and evidenced piece!
I am at a loss to explain the lack of a suitable response from RMBC for their lamentable failures.
This is a problem for all parents but when RMBC is acting in loco parentis, they are a total failure!
A parent might well be prosecuted for neglect, why not the Council or those in charge at the time?
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Ooh err, Cerberus, don’t pick on Lightweight … he’ll tremble, salivate and lose bowel and bladder control cos you’ve spotlighted him.
He wants da quiet life where he draws top dollar but dunt do owt in return … he dunt like bulliz and thart a bully if tha sez owt ageeunst Laybah and da Corn Fed Grunters, Muppets and Clowns.
On the other hand Cerberus, you could ignore my words above and continue on-track and stick em all on a stake and shake em up and twirl em around – yeah, that’s a lot better idea IMHO 🙂
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‘da Corn Fed Grunters, Muppets and Clowns’
When these words are used by Graldhunter, they are regarded by readers, practically to be terms of endearment. Not the words of a bully!
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Cerberus, you have hit the nail on the head. However one thing I must point out. When I come home form Leeds or Sheffield later than usual, there are always a number of young girls hanging about the bus station, average age I would say about 13 or 14. They are not infrequently tarted up like old whores, as my mother used to say. The council has to take responsibilty for the kids in their care, but parents also have to take some for the kids in theirs.
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I forgot to add, I must have missed the attempt to speak up by Cllrs Ahmed and Akhtar. Who is trying to keep the lid on it, and if any of these councillors had any guts at all they tell whoever it is to stuff it and go public.
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Hi Casstrickland,
I am reliably informed by my cadre of agents inside Lubyanka-THT that indeed words were uttered by at least two Councillors to Da Corpulent One and Ms Stasi Commissaress along the lines of: “Foxtrot Offskie … we will not be silenced and have to crawl to you for authorisation to connect with Rovrum public when we feel the need” …
I gather that Da Corpulent One just said: “Rayt, reight, right” and that Ms Stasi Commissaress said nowt cos she was too busy packing her Ollimpicks Jollybags ready for her swan to Da Smoke for the duration …
here endeth the Umpteenth Chapter … 🙂
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I am astonished that the council trivialises the issues by chosing to focus on its members supposed victimisation by people on this forum instead of putting every power and resource at its disposal into child protection.
I can’t believe that these hardened politicians are so thin skinned and so out of touch with the ethos of accountability that they cannot cope with some hard questions from people who, for whatever reason, feel unable to publicly identify themselves. That is a disgracefully self-centred approach when there is so much positive work you would be doing. Please, ladies and gentlemen of Rotherham MBC, get over it and put your attention on the real victims. Give people a reason to praise you rather than lambast you.
These are not crimes that are unstoppable or unsolvable. Your vital role, and one that I see no evidence of you fultilling so far, is to draw the community together through information and action that will help to prevent any reoccurance. How many lives are being blighted by your lack of action? How much public money is having to be poured into the consequences of that inaction through criminal investigations and support services for children who need never have been victims in the first place.
Of course, it isn’t only your responsibility to deal with this matter. But you are in a unique position to make a positive change and set in motion a zero-tolerance culture for child abuse. It’s a win-win situation for you and even more so for the current and future victims and their families.
Perhaps you feel this is Rotherham’s shame and that any acknowledge to deal with it will put the area under negative scrutiny. If so, you are wrong. This kind of thing is happening in many areas of the UK and, as Cerberus said, some local authorities are tackling it head on. Be one of them. You are influential, you have excellent reach into local communities and you have expertise among your staff and your delivery partners. Make it count for something and get out of defensive mode into action mode for the sake of Rotherham’s children.
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Gillian,
Welcome to Dodger’s Rovrum and the scummy grubby political patronage machine he’s built to keep his Corn Fed Grunters, Muppets and Clowns happy and well fed.
“What about the citizens and residents though” I hear you say.
“Arr, worr abart em then, burp burp, rayt, right, reight” said Dodger.
I’m surprised that you appear so unaware of how things are in this town.
Weren’t you once employed at a senior civilian manager level in South Yorkshire Police by the useless grinning pic-happy Tricky Dicky Wells?
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Well so you think that this site represents the people and electorate of Rotherham
It is just a good read on a rainy day with very good lampoons and witty commentsI it is a little strange that the site does believe that name calling is a term of endearment so if you think this site is a true reflection of what Rotherham is about then you also believe that name calling is acceptable
The force has tried hard over the years to rid itself of racism,sexism and bullying and all you can do is support this behaviour
See you at the hustings
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Maximus – Think Gillian’s comment had the answers to your questions, did you not actually read it before venting your spleen.
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Gillian
I am sure you mean well but oh boy are you out of your depth!!!!!!!! The first word that comes to mind is ‘Carpet bagger’ You have no ties to our area apart from you used to work as a press officer for south yorkshire police!!!!!!! And you don’t have a clue about what would be needed for the role you are so anxious to secure.
I have not seen a single thing on you’re resume that would indicate that you have the experience, knowledge or even semblance of what could be perceived as tangible policy direction.
You have less experience of a representative nature than a member of a constituted toddlers group!!!!!! How can you go from that to aspiring to represent over 1.2m people ????? You don’t have experience of policing and no experience of managing at such a high strategic level.
You remind me of a recent US presidential candidate Ross Perot who when asked about various policy issues if elected, he replied that he would get experienced people together to come up with the answers. A bit like you with your suggestions of workshops and breakout sessions.
These things might work in your world of consultancy but they are useless for a position that requires leadership, vision and effective management of huge amounts of public funds.
The old saying about what”s the definition of a consultant ? answer – “someone who borrows your watch to tell you what time it is” fits you beautifully.
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Roth pol you made the comment on term of endearment and she ran with it
She has made her bed like you to accept bullying and in doing so you both are supporters ,no way out
Really glad I read the website on bullying that was posted on your site
It has opened my eyes
Jules well done for your last comment
I hope this candidate reflects on her abilities to represent us
I too will make my mind up at the hustings
Politics aside but for the good of Yorkshire folk
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– Ditto – 🙂
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So the new PCC will need to have the following skill set, vision, leadership qualities,experience of managing huge budgets as well as being strategic.
I fully agree so where is the candidate with these qualities?
Then again we are in South Yorkshire so it sounds just the job for a failed Councillor from a badly run Labour Council.
Shaun Wright vision, no way, he took a performing department to a failing one.
Shaun Wright leadership qualities, noticeably absent when it comes to child protection.
Shaun Wright managing budgets, is it true RMBC have got their fingers burnt with a new multi-million pound regional IT system?
You couldn’t make it up!
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