Council notes:
1. Numerous inquiries and investigations over the past two decades have revealed the existence of grooming gangs operating across various towns and cities in the UK, including recent concerns raised in Coventry and surrounding areas.
2. Reports have identified numerous suspects, some of whom remain unprosecuted despite the availability of substantial evidence from inquiries and survivor testimonies.
3. Added concerns have also been raised all around the country where the influx of illegal male migrants, being housed in hotels and HMO’s in residential areas has resulted in an increase in sexual assaults/crimes.
Council believes:
1. Justice must be delivered for survivors of rape/grooming and exploitation, regardless of how long ago the offences took place.
2. There should be no political hesitation, cultural sensitivity, or institutional fear that prevents the full prosecution of those identified in these inquiries.
3. Any new cases of rape/grooming, sexual assaults, must not be hidden because of race/ethnicity, as has been done previously.
Council resolves to
1. Write to the Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Justice urging them to:
· Ensure that all those identified in previous and ongoing rape gang investigations, including those in Coventry, are thoroughly pursued and prosecuted where evidence permits.
· Provide adequate resources to law enforcement agencies and the CPS to facilitate these prosecutions and support for survivors.
· Commit to a clear and publicly accountable timeline for progress on outstanding investigations.
2. Request that the Leader of the Council issues a public statement reaffirming this council’s commitment to supporting survivors and calling for justice for all affected by rape gangs and its commitment to support anyone new who comes forward with evidence relating to historic or current rape/grooming gangs.
Minutes:
The following Motion was moved by Councillor M Lapsa and seconded by Councillor J Gardiner:
1. Numerousinquiries andinvestigations overthe pasttwo decadeshave revealedthe existence of grooming gangs operating across various towns and cities in the UK, including recent concerns raised in Coventry and surrounding areas.
2. Reportshave identifiednumerous suspects,some ofwhom remainunprosecuted despite the availability of substantial evidence from inquiries and survivor testimonies.
3. Addedconcerns havealso beenraised allaround thecountry wherethe influxof illegal malemigrants, beinghoused inhotels andHMO’s inresidential areashas resulted in an increase in sexual assaults/crimes.
Councilbelieves:
1. Justicemust bedelivered forsurvivors ofrape/grooming andexploitation, regardless of how long ago the offences took place.
2. Thereshould beno politicalhesitation, culturalsensitivity, orinstitutional fearthat prevents the full prosecution of those identified in these inquiries.
3. Anynew casesof rape/grooming,sexual assaults,must notbe hiddenbecause of race/ethnicity, as has been done previously.
Councilresolves to:
1. Writeto the Home Secretaryand Secretaryof State forJustice urging themto:
· Ensure that all those identified in previous and ongoing rape gang investigations,including thosein Coventry,are thoroughlypursued and prosecuted where evidence permits.
· Provide adequate resourcesto lawenforcement agencies andthe CPSto facilitatethese prosecutions andsupport for survivors.
· Committo aclear andpublicly accountabletimeline forprogress on outstanding investigations.
2. Request that the Leader of the Council issues a public statement reaffirming this council’scommitment tosupporting survivorsand callingfor justicefor allaffected by rape gangsand it'scommitment tosupport anyone new whocomes forwardwith evidence relating to historic or current rape/grooming gangs.”
The following amendment was moved by Councillor AS Khan, seconded by Councillor P Seaman, and accepted by Councillor Lapsa thus becoming the substantive motion (in accordance with paragraph 15.1.7 of the Constitution):
“Insert the word “This” at the start of the Motion. After the word “Council notes”, delete paragraphs 1 to 3 and replace with the following:
“Group-based child sexual exploitation, committed by grooming gangs, is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable Insert the word “This” at the start of the Motion. After the word “ Council notes”, delete paragraphs 1 to 3 and replace with the following:
1 Group-based child sexual exploitation, committed by grooming gangs, is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable. These despicable crimes cause the most profound harm to victims and survivors throughout their lives. This scandal, and the abhorrent continuing crimes of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse that persist in this country today, are a stain on our society and are deplored by this Council and Coventry residents
2 The Government has committed to a new national inquiry on grooming gangs, coordinating a series of targeted local investigations, to hold institutions to account for historic failings.
3 The Government will work with the police to launch a new National Policing Operation on group-based CSE overseen by the National Crime Agency to bring together all arms of the national and local policing response to child sexual exploitation under a single national operation.
4 The Government will make it a requirement for the police to collect ethnicity and nationality data in every case of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Insert “This” at the start of the next paragraph. After the words “Council believes” delete paragraph and replace with the following paragraph 1:
“1. We must leave no stone unturned in pursuit of truth and justice for victims and survivors of these vile crimes.”
After paragraph 2 which remains unchanged, delete paragraph 3.
Insert “This” at the start of the next paragraph. After then words “resolves to”, delete paragraph 1 and the 3 bullet points and add the following paragraphs:
1. Fully support the National Inquiry on grooming gangs.
2. Work with other statutory safeguarding partners to ensure mandatory sharing of information is enforced in cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
The last paragraph 2 is then renumbered 3 and remains unchanged.
The amended Motion now to read:
“This Council notes:
1. Group-based child sexual exploitation, committed by grooming gangs, is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable. These despicable crimes cause the most profound harm to victims and survivors throughout their lives. This scandal, and the abhorrent continuing crimes of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse that persist in this country today, are a stain on our society and are deplored by this Council and Coventry residents
2. The government has committed to a new national inquiry on grooming gangs, coordinating a series of targeted local investigations, to hold institutions to account for historic failings.
3. The Government will work with the police to launch a new National Policing Operation on group-based CSE overseen by the National Crime Agency to bring together all arms of the national and local policing response to child sexual exploitation under a single national operation.
4. The Government will make it a requirement for the police to collect ethnicity and nationality data in every case of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
This Council believes:
1. We must leave no stone unturned in pursuit of truth and justice for victims and survivors of these vile crimes.
2. There should be no political hesitation, cultural sensitivity, or institutional fear that prevents the full prosecution of those identified in these inquiries.
This Council resolves to:
1. Fully support the National Inquiry on grooming gangs.
2. Work with other statutory safeguarding partners to ensure mandatory sharing of information is enforced in cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
3. Request that the Leader of the Council issues a public statement reaffirming this Council’s commitment to supporting survivors and calling for justice for all affected by rape gangs and its commitment to support anyone new who comes forward with evidence relating to historic or current rape/grooming gangs. The Government has committed to a new national inquiry on grooming gangs, coordinating a series of targeted local investigations, to hold institutions to account for historic failings.
4. The Government will work with the police to launch a new National Policing Operation on group-based CSE overseen by the National Crime Agency to bring together all arms of the national and local policing response to child sexual exploitation under a single national operation.
5. The Government will make it a requirement for the police to collect ethnicity and nationality data in every case of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
A further amendment was moved by Councillor G Lewis, seconded by Councillor E Reeves, and carried:
That the Motion as now amended above be further amended as follows:
“After “This Council believes add an additional paragraph 3
The further amended Motion now to read:
This Council notes:
1. Group-based child sexual exploitation, committed by grooming gangs, is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable. These despicable crimes cause the most profound harm to victims and survivors throughout their lives. This scandal, and the abhorrent continuing crimes of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse that persist in this country today, are a stain on our society and are deplored by this Council and Coventry residents
2. The government has committed to a new national inquiry on grooming gangs, coordinating a series of targeted local investigations, to hold institutions to account for historic failings.
3. The Government will work with the police to launch a new National Policing Operation on group-based CSE overseen by the National Crime Agency to bring together all arms of the national and local policing response to child sexual exploitation under a single national operation.
4. The Government will make it a requirement for the police to collect ethnicity and nationality data in every case of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
This Council believes:
1. We must leave no stone unturned in pursuit of truth and justice for victims and survivors of these vile crimes.
2. There should be no political hesitation, cultural sensitivity, or institutional fear that prevents the full prosecution of those identified in these inquiries.
3. Survivors must be believed, supported and protected – not used to fuel division between communities.
This Council resolves to:
1. Fully support the National Inquiry on grooming gangs.
2. Work with other statutory safeguarding partners to ensure mandatory sharing of information is enforced in cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
3. Request that the Leader of the Council issues a public statement reaffirming this Council’s commitment to supporting survivors and calling for justice for all affected by rape gangs and its commitment to support anyone new who comes forward with evidence relating to historic or current rape/grooming gangs.
RESOLVED that the amended Motion, as set out above in bold, be unanimously adopted.