Heads must roll for poor children's services - MPs

Halton MPs Mike Amesbury and Derek Twigg criticised Halton Council after its children's service was rated inadequate

Two MPs have called for "senior heads to roll" after a council's children's service was found to be failing across the board.

Labour's Derek Twigg and Mike Amesbury spoke out after the Halton council department was rated "inadequate" by Ofsted.

The watchdog found the service had deteriorated from the last inspection in 2020 and was "placing children at risk".

The council apologised for "falling short" and said it had "let children down".

'Severely let down'

In a statement issued on behalf of both MPs, Mr Amesbury, who represents Runcorn and Helsby, said: "I am calling for senior heads to roll at Halton Council.

"Government intervention has been rightly triggered because vulnerable local children and families are being severely let down."

He said senior people at the council needed to be held accountable for this "serious failure" and that he wanted evidence of substantial improvement in the quality of the service as a matter of urgency.

"The situation has literally gone from bad to worse," added Mr Amesbury.

Mr Twigg, who represents Widnes and Halewood, called for Halton Council to take responsibility for "this dire situation and the clear failings in their children’s services".

"There can be no room for error, for missed opportunities, vulnerable children have been severely let down," he added.

A council spokesperson said: "Work is already underway to address deep-rooted issues."

They said the work began at the end of 2022, with new management structures introduced and a new permanent director of children's services appointed in October 2023.

The council spokesperson said it was now in discussions with the Department for Education (DfE) around the timing and involvement of an appointed commissioner, who would work alongside the council’s senior management team and an independently chaired improvement board.

They would build on this "to ensure that in future every child in Halton who needs our support gets it, at the right time and in the best way to support their needs", the spokesman said.