Sowerby Bridge News

Lib-Dem Candidate Joins Call For Councillor's Resignation

Hilary Myers, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Calder Valley parliamentary seat has been the most recent political figure to join in the calls for the immediate resignation of Calderdale Councillor Craig Whittaker, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services.

The Lib-Dem candidate has now allied herself with many others such as Chris McCafferty MP, Linda Riordan MP and Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate Steph Booth, in calling for the Conservative PPC to resign his cabinet position over ‘catastrophic’ failures within Calderdale’s Child Protection Services.

Following the publication of a PricewaterhouseCoopers report on Child Protection Services in Calderdale, condemnation of the service effectiveness and lack of leadership or accountability within the Council has been severe, leading a great many to question Cllr Whittaker’s handling of the brief since taking responsibility in 2007. Reports from PwC and Ofsted suggest that the service has been in steady decline since he became Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People’s Services, which coincided with him being put forward as the Conservative candidate for the Calder Valley seat in the forthcoming general election.

“He has faced much criticism already for his poor performance on education and has now been found wanting on the vital issue of children’s care. It is time he resigned”

In a letter to the Halifax Courier this week, Hilary Myers stated that: “the management is accountable to our elected representatives, first and foremost in this case the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, Cllr Craig Whittaker, who has held the brief for three years, and his immediate predecessors, all Conservatives. It was their job to ensure that children’s services were competently managed and they are ultimately accountable for the failings.”

In another article in the Halifax Courier regarding Child Protection in Calderdale , Ms. Myers is quoted as saying “He has faced much criticism already for his poor performance on education and has now been found wanting on the vital issue of children’s care. It is time he resigned”

Last week, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate Steph Booth, was the first to call for Concillor Whittaker’s resignation. During a candidate debate in Lightcliffe/Hipperholme. Mrs. Booth said: “How can you say today that you didn’t realise things were this bad? You’ve had warning after warning and you’ve failed to act. Your position is simply untenable.”

Following the debate, Mrs Booth clarified her views on Councillor Whittaker’s performance as Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People’s Services, saying that: “He has been in post for nearly three years now and has consistently promised to improve this service. Last year, after another scathing report, he told the media he was determined to do things differently. This report shows that things haven’t improved at all. They’ve got worse.”

As the demands for his resignation continue to increase, Councillor Whittaker has remained markedly silent on the matter, and has yet to publicly respond or comment on the damning criticisms being levelled at his leadership of Children and Young People’s Services.

A further Ofsted report on Child Protection Services in Calderdale is due to be published by the end of the month.

Related Article: Child Abuse Scandal Demands Craig Whittaker’s Resignation

Related Article: Labour Candidate Claims Calderdale’s Children ‘At Risk’-