‘Finally!’: Oldham to demand public inquiry into ‘scourge’ that has ‘hung over borough for far too long’

Oldham Council will demand a statutory public inquiry into ‘the scourge of child sexual exploitation both historic and current’, following an extraordinary meeting of the authority.

A judge-backed review would give the council more power to demand evidence from governmental institutions than what has been described as a ‘Telford-style’ local inquiry currently planned for the borough. 

The decision comes just three months after a previous request for a government-led review was rejected by the home secretary, sparking a major public backlash. 

Councillors unanimously voted for the inquiry at an extraordinary meeting, called by Oldham’s Conservative Group last night (February 12).

Councillor Lewis Quigg, who proposed the motion, said: “This national public inquiry is to right an incredible wrong.

"It’s about time that the lid is lifted on this disaster, this national scandal of children who have been abused in some of the most evil acts.”

Councillor David Arnott added the issue had ‘hung over this borough for far too long’ and that the council had ‘failed many times to stop horrific abuses continuing for years’. 

The vote came after a lengthy and jumbled debate.

Multiple amendments to the motion eventually left councillors confused about what they were voting for, causing members of the public to burst into laughter while others left the room. 

After a 30 minute adjournment, a new ‘hybrid’ version of the motion blended two amendments together.

These included changes in language to avoid retraumatising survivors and victims of CSE, a commitment to putting victims’ voices at the centre of any new inquiry and calling upon the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to lend their voice to the call for statutory powers. 

Councillors also discussed the singling out of men with Pakistani heritage within the original motion, with Lib Dem Coun Helen Bishop arguing that it was ‘too narrow a focus’ which could put people at risk of ‘not recognising predators within other communities’.  

Coun Abdul Wahid, of the Oldham Group, added: “Justice must prevail.

"We as British Pakistani Muslims are not interested in statistics.

"Even one predator in our community is one too many.

"That’s why we will do what we must here and within our communities to root out these criminals, who have tarnished the good name of British Pakistani Muslims across the country. 

“But let me be absolutely clear: this is not just about one community.

"Child Sexual Exploitation has plagued villages, towns and cities across the UK.

"It has been carried out by organised criminals of different backgrounds and covered up by communities and institutions of all ethnicities.

"The victims were failed by police who ignored them, social services who dismissed them and politicians who looked away.” 

The motion was passed to applause from the public gallery, with some exclaiming: “Finally!”.

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