Leader of opposition compares 'eerie similarities' between Wolverhampton and Rotherham Councils

Tory chief Wendy Thompson said there were 'eerie similarities' between the two.

She said the local authority's lack of openness to debate and general lack of transparency bore resemblance to Rotherham, where all cabinet members recently got the axe.

But leader Roger Lawrence fiercely defended his council and said his opposition counterpart was launching a smear campaign ahead of May's elections.

Rotherham Council has been embroiled in a child sex abuse scandal which has led to several resignations, which included the council leader and cabinet.

Councillor Thompson said: "The report on Rotherham spoke of debate being unwelcome, scrutiny not being robust and being starved of information, challenge by members being weakened and reports being inaccessible to anyone without in-depth professional knowledge of the issues.

"These are all things we have experienced right here in Wolverhampton and still experience now."

The Conservative leader also cited lack of information of the West Midlands Combined Authority and 'confusion' over rules on scrutiny.

She added: "It all smacks of 'debate being unwelcome' as has been found to be the case in Rotherham."

In response Labour leader Councillor Roger Lawrence said his counterpart's attack was 'desperate'.

"I'm extremely disappointed," he said.

"This sort of smearing is beyond the pale. They're basically trying to compensate for the fact they are a very weak and lazy opposition who don't ask the right questions.

"All parties have briefing groups on city centre regeneration, senior management structures and properly and asset management.

"I've made it absolutely clear that every senior officer should brief the opposition when they require briefing."

While Councillor Thompson made no reference to the child abuse scandal in Rotherham, of which an inquiry found 1,400 youngsters were abused by gangs on men from 1997 to 2013, Councillor Lawrence said her statement 'implied' there were issues on Wolverhampton.

He added: "When Rotherham broke my members asked me on training for child safeguarding.

"This is all an attempt to smear the Labour Party.

"We are, I believe, significantly more open than they were when they were in control between 2008 and 2011.

"My door is always open and I don't think there's substance to any of this.

"I think they're desperate."

Government commissioners are taking over Rotherham Council.

A report by Louise Casey, who runs the Government's Troubled Families programme, found the local authority had 'a culture of covering up uncomfortable truths, silencing whistleblowers and paying off staff rather than dealing with difficult issues'.