Sandwell Council leadership to blame for damning child services report, says MP

Sandwell Council has been branded 'inadequate' for its children's services in a new report by Ofsted inspectors – two years after similar inspections raised concerns.

Halesowen and Rowley Regis Conservative MP James Morris said action must be taken after the latest ruling delivered the same overall verdict.

He has called into question the ability of the authority to resolve the problems highlighted by inspectors during their visit.

"This is a continuing and sustained failure of leadership within Sandwell Council in looking after our most vulnerable children and families," said Mr Morris.

"This new report raises further serious questions about the ability of Sandwell Council to sort out these systemic issues which are failing our children. I will be raising my concerns, and the concerns of local people, to the Government and asking for action."

Sandwell's only opposition councillor on the Labour-dominated authority, UKIP's Philip Garrett, said the council was lacking a 'depth of scrutiny' being overwhelmingly controlled by a single group.

"We see the council explain that the appropriate management has been put into place with experienced professionals overseeing changes to children's services yet, 'management, leadership and governance' have been rated as not fit for purpose," he said.

"This naturally poses all sorts of serious questions.

"There have been two previous inspections at Sandwell Council in 2013 and both have rated the boroughs children's services as inadequate.

"Why then if the council have put in money and expertise, has the system been rated as inadequate for the last two inspections?"

He added: "I think when you have a council heavily dominated by a single party as Sandwell is, there just isn't the depth of scrutiny you would get if the council was made up of three or more parties."

But Warley Labour MP John Spellar said the Ofsted report contradicted the opinion of government-appointed Professor Ray Jones, who is a independent social work expert, advising on Sandwell's children's services performance and progress.

"One of the things that I think is important is that Professor Jones makes very clear that from his perspective he feels that greater progress has been made," said Mr Spellar.

"I think that it is significant that someone appointed by the government said there had been considerable improvements.

"Also this is comes in a period of constrained resources.

"They do not seem to take account of this factor."

He added: "As MP I will be discussing the report's findings with the council and my parliamentary colleagues."

John Harris, independent chairman of the Sandwell SAfeguarding Children Board, said: "Over the past six months I have been heartened by the strong commitment of the local authority and partner agencies to improve safeguarding in Sandwell.

"There are good foundations in place: a stable and increasingly confident workforce; an innovative multi-agency safeguarding hub that is designed to ensure that children in need of care and protection get the right support at the right time and positive partnership working to tackle child sexual exploitation and domestic abuse."