Burnley Conservatives call for national inquiry into grooming gangs

It has moved a motion to the borough’s full council meeting on Wednesday calling on it to write to government demanding such an investigation.

The Tory proposal mirrors a similar one moved by their Blackburn with Darwen borough counterparts in January which was rejected by that authority’s Council Forum.

The Burnley Council motion is proposed by its Tory group leader Coun. Alan Hosker and seconded by its deputy Coun. Jamie McGowan.

It reads: “Burnley Council:

• recognises the profound and lasting harm caused by grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation to victims, their families, and communities across the United Kingdom, including within the borough of Burnley;
• acknowledges that historic failings by local authorities, police, and other agencies in tackling these crimes have been documented in multiple independent reviews, yet systemic issues persist, leaving survivors without full justice and future generations at risk;
• notes the limitations of local inquiries and the lack of a comprehensive national framework to address the scale, patterns, and root causes of grooming gang activities across the country;
• expresses concern that without a coordinated national response, lessons from past failures cannot be fully learned, nor can effective preventative measures be universally implemented;
• calls upon His Majesty’s Government to establish a statutory public inquiry into grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation, with the powers to compel witnesses and access all relevant evidence,investigate the national
• scope and historical prevalence of these crimes, identify systemic failures across agencies and region, recommend robust, enforceable measures to protect vulnerable children and deliver justice to survivors
• resolves to write to the Home Secretary, the Prime Minister, and our MP to formally request this inquiry, urging swift action to address this disgusting national scandal;
• commits to supporting local efforts in Burnley to safeguard children, support survivors, and work collaboratively with other councils to amplify this call for a national investigation; and
• encourages all councillors to unite in this motion, reflecting our shared duty to prioritise the safety and well-being of our residents over any political divisions.”

Blackburn with Darwen’s Council Forum approved an motion amended by Labour which deleted the Conservative call for new statutory national inquiry in favour of the early implementation of the 20 recommendations of Baroness Jay’s previous inquiry into the issue from 2022.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper last week confirmed that local inquiries into grooming gangs in five towns including Oldham would go ahead.