Loughton demands action after Haringey tragedy

Tim Loughton, the Shadow Minister for Children, has written to all Conservative lead councillors asking them to make changes to the structure of Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) so that in future they will be chaired independently.

This follows an urgent consultation with Conservative councillors last week in the wake of the Baby P tragedy in Haringey.

Tim Loughton said, “It is clear that urgent action needs to be taken to start addressing the problems raised in the Baby P case. That is why we have been consulting Conservative councillors who lead the majority of children’s services departments across the country and who can make a real and immediate difference at the sharp end.”

He stressed that having independent chairmen of LSCBs would send out “an important signal about the need for greater transparency and accountability”.

And he called on Ed Balls, Labour’s Children Secretary, to follow our initiative and urge Labour-run councils to make the changes now rather than wasting yet more time.