'Don't make children's services a political football' say Solihull councillors in heated debate

There were accusations children services were being used for political point scoring during a heated debate at Solihull Council. The mayor had to intervene at various points despite issuing a warning about councillors’ conduct prior to the debate.

The topic was jointly submitted for the latest full council meeting by councillors Ade Adeyamo and Max McLoughlin - the leaders of the Liberal Democrats and Green Party groups on the authority respectively. As recently reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a Solihull Council-run children’s home temporarily closed after inspectors found “serious and widespread” failures.

The authority has been under intense scrutiny following the high profile murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes in Shirley in June 2020. Ofsted has carried out monitoring visits and found services have improved since.

READ MORE: Ofsted inspectors again find Solihull's children's services are improving

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Opening the debate, Coun Adeyamo said: “I have to be honest, shock and dismay were my first reactions when I heard about the problems.” Leader of the Conservative-run authority Coun Ian Courts raised a point of order saying the debate should focus on safeguarding children, with no individual cases mentioned, which mayor Shahin Ashraf agreed with.

Coun Adeyamo continued: “Members had been told repeatedly everything was great and we were making leaps and bounds in our improvement journey. We are thankful of the sterling job and great efforts they (officers) have made to improve our children’s services.

“The only way we (councillors) can help is if this current administration allows us to do so. There must be change at the top, the top of this political administration.”

Conservative councillor Heather Delaney said: “We would never use children’s services as a political football. We fundamentally believe children’s services improvement journey is about children.

“It is not about politics. It is not about calling for changes in leadership.” Coun McLoughlin said: “When we are talking about the safety of children, all councillors have a responsibility.

“But not all councillors feel they are given a role. What does need to happen is a change in attitude how we have dialogue across the chamber and involve opposition members as much as the administration members.”

Coun Karen Grinsell, deputy leader of the council and lead member for children and education, said: “We will not make children’s services political. We have been under the spotlight but Ofsted have regularly said - on the five inspections they have done - we are making improvements.

“We had a setback, we know that, but this is the right thing to do - to offer children homes in Solihull. It’s hard to do, nobody said it was going to be easy.

“I go to bed every night thinking about the children out there, the children who might come to harm, I’m sure you don’t.” The mayor said: “Thank you councillor but let’s not make judgements on what people think last thing at night.”

Coun Courts then said: “I remain of the view the debate, in this form, should never have been allowed. The themes (from Ofsted reports) were quite consistent - one of improvement, strong leadership, strong political support.

“If members feel they haven’t been involved we have to do more. We have improved massively.

"We are on a journey, we all need to get behind it and not go for political point scoring.” The meeting was held at the Civic Suite on Tuesday, December 10.