Some of us are wondering why the Advertiser has waited until today to publish this short report, when this was national news yesterday. However, there is a promise of more on Friday.

” ROTHERHAM Borough Council was inexcusably slow to realise widespread and organised sexual abuse of children was taking place on its doorstep, MPs have said.

The Home Affairs Select Committee published its report into localised child grooming on Monday following a lengthy inquiry.

The borough council was subjected to strong criticism for a “woeful lack of professional curiosity or indifference” about child sexual exploitation (CSE).

The report said: “When we took evidence from Rotherham Council, they did not accept that there had been serious failings in the council’s response in the past, although they were at pains to highlight the improvement on work which they had done on CSE.

“Whilst we do not doubt that Rotherham has improved the way that its services are coordinated as regards CSE, we question whether they are more concerned with defending their record than with ensuring that an effective response is provided by all official agencies across the borough.”

The committee was surprised that Rotherham’s children’s services was allowed to have its notice to improve lifted by the Department for Education in 2011. It recommended further Ofsted reviews.

See Friday’s Advertiser for full report and reaction.”

And now to revisit Maltby and Hellaby’s own councillors for their reactions and comments on this most dreadful of situations …. (next blog post)