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Rotherham child abuse scandal: Council to dissolve cabinet Rotherham child sex abuse files 'missing from archive'
(about 2 hours later)
A council at the centre of a child abuse scandal has announced plans to dissolve the cabinet and invest £120,000 in counselling services for victims of child sexual exploitation. Key reports detailing child sexual exploitation have disappeared from the archives, the outgoing chief executive of Rotherham Council tells MPs.
Rotherham Council deputy leader Paul Lakin said the money would come from cutting two cabinet posts and banning overseas travel by members. Martin Kimber said he had not seen a full copy of a 2002 report and had never seen a 2003 report.
Mr Lakin said he would begin choosing a new cabinet later. Mr Kimber said he first saw a 2006 report on Sunday evening.
A report found at least 1,400 children were abused in the town from 1997-2013. A report found at least 1,400 children were abused in the town from 1997-2013. The council and South Yorkshire Police have been heavily criticised.
Mr Lakin, a Labour councillor, also announced he had asked the Local Government Association to establish an "independently-chaired improvement board". Mr Kimber said he did not know whether the archives had been destroyed, but he told the Local Government Committee: "They are not within the council's archives."
He said the board would include a serving or recently retired chief executive and director of children's services, and an external peer of each of the parties represented on the council - Labour, Conservative, UKIP and independent.
'Change will come''Change will come'
His claim came as Rotherham council announced plans to dissolve the cabinet and invest £120,000 in counselling services for victims of child sexual exploitation.
Deputy leader Paul Lakin said the money would come from cutting two cabinet posts and banning overseas travel by members.
Mr Lakin said he would begin choosing a new cabinet later.
The Labour councillor also announced he had asked the Local Government Association to establish an "independently-chaired improvement board".
The board would include a serving or recently retired chief executive and director of children's services, and an external peer of each of the parties represented on the council - Labour, Conservative, UKIP and independent.
Mr Lakin said: "We need to face up to the town's past and ensure that these horrific events can never happen again ever, and to ensure that all our citizens can have the future they deserve.Mr Lakin said: "We need to face up to the town's past and ensure that these horrific events can never happen again ever, and to ensure that all our citizens can have the future they deserve.
"We will have to work hard - and work hard we will - to rebuild and restore public trust and public confidence. Change, real change, will come and the children of Rotherham will be heard." "We will have to work hard to rebuild and restore public trust and public confidence. Change, real change, will come, and the children of Rotherham will be heard."
At the start of the meeting the Mayor of Rotherham, Councillor John Foden, said: "... Can I offer my sincere apologies to the victims and their families with regards to what has taken place in and around the borough of Rotherham." At the start of the meeting the Mayor of Rotherham, Councillor John Foden apologised to victims and their families.
Mr Foden also asked for the council to consider an emergency motion calling for Shaun Wright, the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire, to resign "with immediate effect". On Wednesday, the council approved an emergency motion calling for the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire Shaun Wright to resign.
Select committee 'Critical time'
Mr Wright, who was cabinet member for children's services in Rotherham between 2005 and 2010, has faced repeated calls to stand down from people including Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband.Mr Wright, who was cabinet member for children's services in Rotherham between 2005 and 2010, has faced repeated calls to stand down from people including Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband.
On Tuesday Keith Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said he would ask the home secretary about the possibility of legislation to remove Mr Wright. On Tuesday, Keith Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said he would ask the home secretary about the possibility of legislation to remove Mr Wright.
Mr Wright has refused to resign since the publication of the report, but has quit the Labour Party.
Meanwhile, the chief executive of Rotherham Council, Martin Kimber, and the council's strategic director of Children and Young People's Services, Joyce Thacker, are giving evidence to the Communities and Local Government Committee.
Mr Kimber, who joined the authority in 2009, announced on Monday he would leave his post in December.Mr Kimber, who joined the authority in 2009, announced on Monday he would leave his post in December.
He said: "I believe that new leadership will enable the town to recover more quickly from the events of the last two weeks, and strongly signal a new beginning at this critical time in its recovery."He said: "I believe that new leadership will enable the town to recover more quickly from the events of the last two weeks, and strongly signal a new beginning at this critical time in its recovery."
Asked whether she could have done more to stop the widespread exploitation of children in the town, the council's director of children and young people's services, Joyce Thacker, said: "With the benefit of hindsight, absolutely, all of us could have done more."