Cllr David Simmonds –  Deputy Leader of London Borough of Hillingdon and chairman of the LGA Children and Young People Board has this to say :

” The most important lesson from the child abuse scandal in Rotherham is that those in leadership roles can’t assume that policies designed to protect children are working.   

Rotherham is very much on the minds of people in local government after the communities secretary, Eric Pickles, ordered commissioners to take over the running of the council.

Many lives have been damaged by the child sexual exploitation investigated in the reports from Professor Alexis Jay and Louise Casey. It has also raised questions for families all over the country about what this means in their communities. Local councillors face questions about their role in leading their community, and tensions are often stoked by the politics of extremism.

Perhaps the most important lesson from Rotherham is that those in leadership roles cannot assume that policies and procedures designed to protect children are actually working.”

More here : http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/feb/10/rotherham-councils-more-protect-children-abuse