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| Rotherham Council to be subject of independent inspection | Rotherham Council to be subject of independent inspection |
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| Rotherham Council is to face an independent inspection following the report that revealed 1,400 children were sexually abused in the town. | Rotherham Council is to face an independent inspection following the report that revealed 1,400 children were sexually abused in the town. |
| Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said the inspection would examine whether the council covered up information about the abuse. | Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said the inspection would examine whether the council covered up information about the abuse. |
| It comes after the council's chief executive told MPs key reports relating to abuse had disappeared. | It comes after the council's chief executive told MPs key reports relating to abuse had disappeared. |
| Mr Pickles said an inspection was "in the public interest". | Mr Pickles said an inspection was "in the public interest". |
| He said the inspection would be led by Louise Casey, the head of the government's troubled families programme, and would examine the council's governance, services for children and young people, and taxi and private hire licensing. | |
| It will also examine whether the council "was and continues to be subject to institutionalised political correctness affecting its decision-making on sensitive issues", he told MPs in a ministerial statement. | |
| The report by Professor Alex Jay, published two weeks ago, detailed how children had been subjected to trafficking, rape and other sexual exploitation over a 16-year period and how their abuse had been ignored by a range of agencies, including police, councillors and council officials. | |
| Mr Pickles said: "With clearly documented failures by the council on so many levels, the rare step of a statutory inspection is in the public interest. | |
| "We cannot undo the permanent harm that these children have suffered. But we can and should take steps to ensure that this never happens again and make sure that all local authorities deliver on their essential duty to protect vulnerable children." | |
| He said Ms Casey had been asked to report to him by November and if the inspection showed the council was failing, he had the power to intervene directly. |