A leading Blackpool politician has called for the town to be included in any future national inquiry into grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation. The government has so far resisted calls for a new national inquiry, saying it wants to implement the findings from previous reports, but calls are still being made from some quarters for further national scrutiny.
Coun Paul Galley, leader of the Conservative group on Blackpool Council, has added his voice to demands for a national inquiry and says it should include the resort.
He said: “Such an inquiry will have the power to summon witnesses and uncover the full national extent of this devastating issue in a calm and considered manner. When it happens, Blackpool must be included.”
While other North West towns including Rochdale and Oldham have had more high profile child grooming cases, Blackpool has also witnessed its impact including the disappearance of Charlene Downes in 2003. After discovering that 14-year-old Charlene had been one of many young girls who were being abused by a group of takeaway owners, Blackpool Police joined forces with other agencies to set up the Awaken task force in 2004.
It continues to tackle the issue with two prosecutions in the past year, according to the annual report of the Blackpool MASA (Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangements).
The 2023/34 report, which was presented to the council’s Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee last October, says: “The last year has seen the use of a range of policing tactics to disrupt exploitation activity within the Blackpool area. With regards to CSE (child sexual exploitation) there have been two key prosecutions, both examples of cases where adult males have been successfully prosecuted for sexual offences against children in the Blackpool area.”
Coun Galley said: “While many people are aware of the shocking, high-profile cases that have occurred in Blackpool, fewer are aware of the broader scale of child sexual exploitation in our town. In 2016/2017, for example, the rate of cases in Blackpool was 1.3 per 1,000 of the population, including a number of our looked-after children.
Councillor Chris Webb
(Image: Copyright Unknown)
“Blackpool’s patterns of abuse may have unique elements, but they are unlikely to differ significantly from those seen in other coastal towns across the country.
“This must be addressed in a thorough and transparent manner. Furthermore, any inquiry should also include an examination of county lines criminal grooming, which preys on vulnerable young people nationwide.”
A report published in 2022 warned Blackpool “is disproportionately affected by many of the risk factors for CSE (child sexual exploitation) which include deprivation and a high proportion of children living in care.
The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) also warns “there is a significant night-time economy which may make local young people more vulnerable to CSE networks.”
Fast food outlets, taxis and hotels are among the settings “identified as potential risk areas for abuse”, with the report adding “it has been found that in Blackpool the predominant model is of a white male offending alone, grooming a single victim who is also most likely to be white. There remains no evidence of gang or taxi related offending.”
Coun Galley said any national inquiry should put the impact of victims at its heart but should not delay the implementation of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which was approved in principle by MPs on January 8. A Conservative amendment for it to include a national inquiry into grooming gangs was rejected.
Blackpool South MP Chris Webb, who was among MPs who voted against the amendment, said he had not supported the call for a new national inquiry because the priority had to be to introduce the recommendations from previous inquiries.
In a Facebook post to constituents, he said: “Sexual abuse and exploitation are the most vile and horrific of crimes. Perpetrators must be punished and pursued, and victims and survivors must be protected and supported. That is why this government is determined to act, strengthening the law, taking forward recommendations from independent inquiries and supporting stronger police actions and support for victims.
“The independent inquiry into child sexual abuse launched in 2015 and reported in 2022. This was a comprehensive report that carried out over 15 investigations including into grooming gangs and abuse in school and church settings.”
He said 20 recommendations had been made in 2022 but not been acted upon, and it was time to fully implement these recommendations.
In the meantime, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill would protect vulnerable children from “falling through the cracks”.
The bill includes measures to protect vulnerable children, such as tougher rules around home-schooling and support for those in care, inspections of schools, changes to academies, and regulation of private education institutions. Coun Galley said his calls for an inquiry were “not about politics” and added: “The safety and well-being of children in Blackpool—and across the country—must always be our highest priority.”
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