Conservative MP slammed for 'ignorant and grubby' behaviour over kids care row.

Southport's Conservative MP has been heavily criticised for what critics say is a "vile attempt" to try to cynically capitalise on issues in local children's services, after years of him ignoring the difficulties of local children and their families.

The MP has called for the resignation of Sefton's Leader Ian Maher and also the Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care - despite the fact she was not even a councillor until two years after the problems began to surface in 2016 and is actually now leading the charge to tackle the issues and improve the service.

It's led many on social media in the town to roundly condemn Conservative Damien Moore MP, with claims he's more interested in trying to claim a political scalp than actually seeing the service improve. They also point to how his statement on a recent Ofsted inspection was used to appeal for votes as the local elections loom in May.

Now the Sefton Cabinet Member in question, Councillor Mhairi Doyle MBE, has given a withering response to the MP and explained how things are turning for the better. She commented:

"Mr Moore has little understanding of, or sympathy for, children's issues I'd suggest. If he had then he would not have twice refused to vote in support of providing extra school meals to help feed the children of some of our most struggling families. He is now talking concern for children but his actions show otherwise." 

"He also refused to back 80% furlough support to help local families during the pandemic, and he has supported government colleagues who have reduced funding in our schools and devastated the Sure Start system to help give kids a good start in life. They also slashed early crime intervention pathways to stop youngsters going into a life of lawlessness... the list goes on."

"With regard to the situation here, for year after year, the Conservatives have failed to sit on the vitally important Corporate Parenting Board that oversees our work with our cared for and care experienced children. The latest Sefton Conservative Leader, Cllr Mike Prendergast, also refused to attend despite repeated requests and has only recently deigned to do so."

"That tells you all you need to know about their overall interest and integrity in this area I'd say but the vile attempt to appeal for votes when Mr Moore issued his Ofsted response certainly adds to that."     

"Sefton in contrast has rightly apologised for the mistakes that have been made. Let's be clear though - those mistakes came about because of the pressure of the profound funding cuts that were imposed upon us by the Conservatives and Lib Dems."

"Although the Coalition has long since passed, it still survives in Sefton as the local Tories and Southport Lib Dems still work together in the council to this day. It was the local Lib Dems who cut our youth centres back then and one of the senior Lib Dem councillors has just evidenced this collaboration yet again."

"He tried to back the MP's statement and attack line by pointing out that Labour has been in charge of social services for over 20 years." 

"He's proved unintentionally helpful though by highlighting this - as we clearly did not have issues to this extent back then, or 20 years ago or at 15 years or even later. They began to surface around 2016 and so you have to wonder what changed?" 

"What changed was huge cuts to council funding and the pressure that brought. What's also changed was the huge increase in the numbers of our children in care here. In 2013 it was just over 420, and it's now at 617." 

"It's clear to me that's a result of the years of Conservative and Lib Dem austerity cuts and decisions which have made life very difficult for local families and their children."

"On top of that, what's also changed is the increasing privatisation of social work with social workers leaving authorities to go work for agencies that pay double. The resulting gaps in the workforce mean councils then have to essentially employ the same people back at exorbitant rates." 

"So the extra cost for us is now immense. In 2015 costs were £33m, they are now £70m plus. That's basically a third of our total budget."  

"This is the situation I am trying to turn around with the help of some amazing social work colleagues and management. It will take some time but we have already unified a previously fractured service and are tackling these seemingly intractable problems head-on. For instance, we are rectifying the social worker shortage by growing our own."  

"We've created The Social Work Academy, the first cohort of which will graduate in October giving us 30 fully trained and much-needed staff to help local children and their families."  

"We have also recruited 25 fully experienced social workers from South Africa, they will start arriving in May. All of this should massively help resolve the issue Ofsted has identified as our main barrier to improving practice."

" I repeat, mistakes were previously made as a result of the pressures and I will not shirk from that as it is an important part of the process of learning and improving services for our children." 

"Equally, we did not create the root cause of the problems. Others did, and Mr Moore's efforts to pretend otherwise is a rather ignorant and grubby attempt to blatantly try to play political games with this incredibly important issue." 

"I get that he is increasingly desperate as he knows he is going to lose his seat shortly, however, I'd say his response shows he is still far more the Asda fruit and veg aisle manager or whatever he was before than he is a credible politician now. My focus is on our children."  

 

Caption - Cllr Mhairi Doyle MBE, Sefton Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care.