Greater Manchester Combined Authority

The Review into safeguarding practices in the Borough of Oldham – Terms of Reference

These are the full Terms of Reference for an Assurance Review that took place between January, 2020 and June, 2022 into historic safeguarding practices involving Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, Greater Manchester Police and partner agencies. The Review was undertaken by Malcolm Newsam CBE and Gary Ridgway – and published on 20th June, 2022 (read fullContinue reading “The Review into safeguarding practices in the Borough of Oldham – Terms of Reference”

Freedom of information requests – Greater Manchester Police in Special Measures

To support ongoing journalistic investigations into the well-publicised shortcomings of Greater Manchester Police, two conjoined requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) were made to the Home Office and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue (HMICFRS) on 13th September, 2021 by Neil Wilby. Home Office Please disclose the following information by wayContinue reading “Freedom of information requests – Greater Manchester Police in Special Measures”

Mayor says Oldham CSE review will be published ‘by the end of the year’

In a statement published on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) website on Friday 30th July, 2021, the Mayor of Greater Manchester announced that the long-awaited Oldham Strand of the Child Sexual Exploitation Review will be published in November 2021 or, at the latest, by the end of the year. This Review chiefly concerns historicContinue reading “Mayor says Oldham CSE review will be published ‘by the end of the year’”

Disgraced activist claims arrest ‘politically motivated’

At 6.25am on Friday, 23rd July, 2021 six Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers attended at an address in Mossley, Tameside to arrest a 48 year old male on suspicion of racially aggravated public order and malicious communications offences. A search of the premises was undertaken by way of Section 32 of the Police and CriminalContinue reading “Disgraced activist claims arrest ‘politically motivated’”

Disabled protesters unpick litany of lies

When it comes to calculated deception, witch-hunts and cover-ups, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are generally in the vanguard of police forces in the UK. A recent article on this website, ‘Scandals that shame the two-faced Mayor of Manchester’ (read in full here), highlights a significant number of them, grounded in protected disclosures by the country’sContinue reading “Disabled protesters unpick litany of lies”

Another Durham debacle as chief constable snubs Manchester Mayor

Much has already been written about the Operation Mackan fiasco, over which the now-retired chief constable of Durham Constabulary, Michael Barton was Gold Commander (read more here). The central theme has been the sub-optimal, one-eyed investigation carried out by his Silver Commander, civilian investigator Darren Ellis, into complaints raised against the chief constable of GreaterContinue reading “Another Durham debacle as chief constable snubs Manchester Mayor”

Barton beats an unexpected retreat

Earlier this week Durham Constabulary announced the retirement of its chief constable, Mike Barton, both on social media and via a press release issued to local, regional and national media. The story attracted little attention, given the controversial figure he has frequently cut.But this announcement took many people by surprise, not least policing colleagues whomContinue reading “Barton beats an unexpected retreat”

The dreaded vote of confidence

“She has acted with the utmost integrity“. So says Greater Manchester’s high profile Mayor, Andy Burnham, as part of a limp vote of confidence in his under-siege deputy, Baroness Beverley Hughes. Except that she didn’t. The Burnham endorsement came as part of a blustery defence of the sly, duplicitous, incompetent handling of a serious complaintContinue reading “The dreaded vote of confidence”

When the ‘cover-up’ becomes the story

“Hi, Mabs. Ian Hopkins speaking.” So began the search for a new member of the most troubled command team in British policing. Even before the post was advertised. In footballing parlance, Chief Superintendent Maboob “Mabs” Hussain from the neighbouring West Yorkshire force (WYP) had been “tapped up”. Hopkins, the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) chief constable, ultimately,Continue reading “When the ‘cover-up’ becomes the story”