The Star:
Town Halls want new powers in wake of Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal
Town halls have called for new powers to help them intervene to prevent children being groomed for sex – in the wake of the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal.
The Local Government Association, which represents 370 local authorities, said court-backed orders were necessary because officials are ‘powerless’ to act if they suspect grooming but do no have enough evidence to prosecute.
Rotherham MP concerned over NHS funding
A Rotherham MP claims too many people are suffering because of a lack of NHS funding after a report found that one fifth of residents in the town believe their quality of life is compromised by long-term illness.
The report was commissioned by the Richmond Group of Charities.
Labour MP Sarah Champion said: “It’s shocking that almost a quarter of people in Rotherham say their quality of life is compromised by a long-term illness.
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/health/local-health/rotherham-mp-concerned-over-nhs-funding-1-7177295
Spotted by RR:
News: LEP’s advisory role over EU funding “goes against spirit of devolution”
The Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), will only have an “advisory role” over how £180m of European funding is spent to create jobs and boost the economy in the city region. The final decisions will be made in Whitehall.
http://www.rothbiz.co.uk/2015/03/news-5121-leps-advisory-role-over-eu.html
Ashfield parliamentary candidate arrested on suspicion of child sex abuse
Jason Zadrozny is under a police investigation for historic allegations, including “buggery and gross indecency with a male under 16”.
He currently serves on Ashfield District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council, and was planning to stand for the Ashfield constituency as the Liberal Democrats candidate in the upcoming General Election.
But he has now withdrawn his candidacy to fight the allegations, which he “vehemently refutes”.
Lib Dems suspend Ashfield candidate Jason Zadrozny after sex arrest
Jason Zadrozny was standing in the Ashfield and Eastwood constituency in Nottinghamshire.
Police said the allegations related to one child.
Mr Zadrozny, whose election campaign office was raided by police on Wednesday, said: “I vehemently refute the allegations.”
Nottinghamshire Police said a 34-year-old man was arrested and questioned about an allegation of gross indecency with a male under 16 in 2003/4.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-32066868
First with the news of another LibDem sleaze scandal:
Yello’, Yello’, Yello’: Cops Called Over LibDem Sleaze
http://order-order.com/2015/03/26/yello-yello-yello-cops-called-over-libdem-sleaze/
Rotherham Politics 
local Government already have sufficient powers to disrupt and prevent grooming, didn’t Birmingham use them last year and name and shamed the abusers. Too little too late.
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They didn’t name the abusers the courts wouldn’t let them
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Ultimately they were named http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-30114936
But that in no way means that LGs currently have sufficient powers, see the actual Local Gvt Association press release, that the Star story is based on:
http://www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/media-releases/-/journal_content/56/10180/7145208/NEWS
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I disagree they do have enough powers to disrupt, along with the police, if there is insufficient evidence for a court case. Ultimately if you look hard enough and have a will, you will find the evidence required to lock up these abusers. There are no clever criminals, they always make mistakes.
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are you the anonymouse of this: https://rotherhampolitics.wordpress.com/2015/03/26/news-review-thursday-26-march-2015-inc-libdem-quits/#comment-44402, or this one:
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I agree with Anonymous. Local Authorities, the police and CPS have sufficient powers to prosecute perpetrators of grooming and child sexual abuse. Regrettably far too many local authority officials and police officers seem unaware of the powers they have and how they are meant to exercise the powers they already have.
I’d also point out that there is both a Local Government and a Police Complaints process. These processes would allow genuinely concerned local authorities and police forces to review the mistakes that may have been made earlier and take steps to put them right with minimal stress and distress for victims and their families. However, in practice local authorities and police forces are reacting to complaints with intransigence.
Their behaviour does not encourage victims and their families to come forward or to take steps to obtain the justice they so rightly deserve.
The LGA would do far better to improve the understanding of existing powers amongst it’s members and to make its members aware that by undermining the current complaints process they undermine their credibility to police themselves.
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Fully agree with you Sarah.
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