Neil Wilby Media

During Oldham Council’s controversial meeting on 12th July, 2023 (read more here), Maggie Oliver and The Maggie Oliver Foundation, which she founded and now chairs, were mentioned in a debate relating to ongoing actions and future proposals regarding child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSA and CSE) in the Borough.

The former Greater Manchester Police detective constable has invited Neil Wilby Media to clarify the position over those references:

“Myself and everyone at the Foundation have been devastated this morning to hear that survivors and their families might feel let down after we were mentioned in last night’s debate. I have dedicated the last twenty years to fighting for survivors, and along with my team at the Foundation, my life is still consumed with this mission.

“I want to make it clear that I have not spoken to anyone at Oldham Council about this matter and no permission was given by me, or anyone at the Foundation, to mention us in the meeting last night.

“Councillors Arooj Shah (The Leader of the Council) and Steve Bashforth both referred to my support, and that of my Foundation, for the final part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Assurance Review into child sexual exploitation (CSE) which is soon to begin. This Review will examine current practices across all Greater Manchester councils, and GMP, to assess if they are fit for purpose in protecting children from sexual exploitation. I am a great believer that before change can happen, we need to know the true facts, and I hope this review will leave no stone unturned in seeking these.

“Of course, we support anything which will protect children and so the Review itself has my backing. I will reserve judgement on whether it will achieve its aims until its findings are published. From our daily work supporting survivors, we are in no doubt, whatsoever, that the current system for investigating and prosecuting these devastating crimes is absolutely not fit for purpose, and the hundreds of survivors we are currently supporting would say the same.

“We have been contacted by survivors in Oldham and their families today, concerned that we also back the review into historical CSE in Oldham, the findings of which were published last year. I want to clarify that this is absolutely not the case.

“I also want to clarify my position on calls on the Home Office for a public inquiry into historical CSE in Oldham: I absolutely believe that survivors deserve to be heard and to get justice. I have spent the last two decades of my life campaigning for exactly this.

“Personally, however, I am not convinced that a public inquiry will achieve this. I know this from my observations over the past twenty years and perhaps the most serious example of this is the Home Office ordered Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

“This Inquiry lasted seven years, costing multiple millions of pounds. Its findings were published across many reports from November 2020 to October 2022, making twenty recommendations which the government has still failed to implement. One local Oldham councillor, again rightly, made the point that, despite the Reviews, not a single senior person in public office has been held accountable for failing to protect children and allowing them to fall victim to the monstrous perpetrators of CSE. His comment was in relation to Oldham, but applies nationally.

“I want to see power brought back to a local level and put into the hands of victims and survivors so their voices, experiences and opinions can be heard. I want to see not just perpetrators but those in public office responsible for turning a blind eye to these terrible crimes to face justice. The police have the power to do this if they are brave and really want to show that “lessons have been learned”.

“Following the Oldham Assurance Review, Operation Sherwood was launched by GMP to investigate historic CSE. Survivors we have been supporting at the Foundation have mixed experiences of this investigation, so far. We urge GMP and GMCA to do better for these survivors. Anyone who would like to report to the police or who has reported and is not getting the service they deserve, please get in touch with the Foundation and we will do all we can to help”.

Cllrs Shah and Steve Bashforth (his wife Marie is also a sitting councillor) have been offered right of reply. A statement is expected on Friday morning (14th July, 2023).

Follow Neil Wilby on Twitter (here) and Neil Wilby Media on Facebook (here) for signposts to any updates.

Page last updated: Thursday 13th July, 2023 at 21h35

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Picture credit: Oldham Council

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