Press Release from Cllr Karen Garrido and Cllr Christine Gray
We met with the Chief Executive of Salford Council, Barbara Spicer today (30th June), to discuss the ‘Serious Case Review Executive Summary’. We had a number of questions not only about the report but also concerning the 66 recommendations contained within the summary.
We asked to see the full report only to find that we were not allowed to see the full report, but what shocked us was that the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council are also not able to obtain a copy. In Salford the only people allowed to see the full report are the members of the Safeguarding Board Sub Group, who are members of the panel. Cllr Garrido said “As elected councillors who represent the people of Salford, we are not allowed to see the report which means that we have a situation in Salford where there has been a death of a child and the full information is being withheld from those in a position to question’. We had hoped that after the Victoria Climbie case, lessons had been learnt, clearly not”.
Councillor Gray said “With regards to the 66 recommendations, many of which are Government Guidelines, which all agencies involved with the family, should have already have been working towards” she went on to say “We asked a number of questions regarding not only Salford’s services but those of the Health Authority and the Greater Manchester Police about their involvement. I am writing to Professor Eileen Fairhurst asking for a meeting for us to question her about the involvement of her staff”.
One of our concerns is the total lack of action from Salfords Children’s Services when members of the public contacted them with their serious concerns about the welfare of Demi. Even formal complaints from the police went unanswered. It takes courage to phone up to report these concerns and what has happened over this case must not put people off reporting.
We were dismayed to hear that Jill Baker the Strategic Director of Childrens Service had made an announcement “that members of staff will not be formally disciplined” even though they had not fulfilled their roles and responsibilities. What message does this send out to the staff working with children and families? At this stage the door should not be closed on any action being taken on any member of staff.
The obvious failing of all agencies in the care of Demi Leigh Mahon, reminds us that nothing has been learnt by the Victoria Climbie case and we believe only a Public Inquiry will find the truth as how this matter has been dealt with and satisfy the concerns of the people of Salford that the correct actions are being taken to prevent tragedies of this kind occurring again.
We are therefore calling for a Public Inquiry to be held at the earliest opportunity.
Local commuters across Salford face continued overcrowding after it emerged that the Government’s promise of over 180 desperatedly-needed new carriages for local train operator Northern Rail has been slashed to a maximum of 106. Passengers from local stations in Irlam, Walkden, Swinton, Moorside, Eccles and Patricroft will lose out due to these cuts.
Government officials had agreed to provide the extra carriages but have now reneged on this promise. Transport bosses including Cllr Ian MacDonald, Worsley Councillor and Vice-Chairman of GMITA, have written to Ministers and are working hard to secure these extra carriages for Greater Manchester.
Councillor Iain Lindley, Prospective Conservative MP for Worsley & Eccles South, said:
“Local people travelling on our rail lines through Walkden, Eccles and Irlam suffer terrible overcrowding and inadequate services. These carriages are desperately-needed - the Labour Government promised these extra trains and they have now betrayed that promise. Commuters will now continue to suffer on overcrowded services due to Labour’s decision to break their promise and slash the number of new carriages”
The results of the Government’s “Place Survey”, which asked residents across the country about their views on their local Council, makes damning reading for Labour-run Salford Council.
- Only 24.4% thought that the Council provided value-for-money
- 33.7% were “satisfied or fairly satisfied” with the Council
- Just 45.8% were satisfied with the way the Council picks up litter
- 23.5% thought they were able to influence decisions in their area
Councillor Iain Lindley, Prospective MP for Worsley & Eccles South, said:
“Labour have let down Salford and taken residents for granted - this Labour Council simply do not listen. Local people are rightly scathing of the Council’s record.
Salford residents pay one of the highest rates of Council Tax in the region. Their money is poured down the drain on glossy propaganda, yet they see successful schools like St George’s earmarked for closure and the Council cannot even empty the bins on the correct day consistently.
It is no wonder that less than a quarter of Salford people think the Council delivers value-for-money and only a third are even “fairly satisfied” with the Council. Labour have lost the trust of Salford people - it’s time for a change”.
On Thursday 4th June, local residents across Salford will go to the polls for the European elections. If you’re voting by post, you may well have already received your postal ballot paper, or will do over the next day or two.
Local people have a real chance in these elections to show that they want change. We have a Labour Council, a Labour Government, and Labour MEPs who have all let our local area down.
By voting Conservative on 4th June you can:
- Send a clear message to Gordon Brown that he needs to change his mind and give us the referendum on the EU Constitution that he promised and then failed to deliver.
- Vote for change - if you’re sick of Gordon Brown’s hopeless Government and Labour’s debt crisis, this is your chance to show it.
- Support the Conservative vision for change - our plans to improve the NHS, for better school discipline, and to free our police from bureaucracy so they can get out and fight crime.
We have a strong team of Conservative MEPs and candidates who have shown a strong interest in standing up for the interests of local people in Worsley, Eccles, Irlam & Cadishead and Salford. Indeed only last week Cllr Alex Williams joined our team in Walkden to knock on doors and listen to the concerns of local residents. Unlike Labour and the Liberal Democrats who vote against the British interest, and unlike UKIP whose Brussels grouping has descended into a disorganised rabble, our Conservative team will always stand up for the North West and for Salford.
It’s time for change - vote Conservative on Thursday 4th June.
Cllr Iain Lindley, Prospective Conservative MP for Worsley & Eccles South, has slammed Labour’s plans to use Greater Manchester as a guinea-pig for their ID Card scheme.
Cllr Lindley said: “Local residents in Salford are feeling the financial pinch and the last thing they need is to fork out a further £60 on an ID card. Nationally, in these times of economic difficulty and with debt spiralling to record levels, the £5bn cost of ID cards is money we simply cannot afford to spend.
I’m delighted that Chris Grayling, Shadow Home Secretary, has renewed the Conservative commitment to abolishing Labour’s unwanted, expensive farce of an ID Card scheme, whilst bringing in effective measures like a national border police force to keep the country safe.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said: “The Government is split down the middle on ID cards but it looks as if Jacqui Smith is carrying on regardless. Piloting the scheme in one city is nonsensical and will only serve as a tax on the people of Greater Manchester. They should abandon this farce and scrap the whole scheme.”
