Tom Crowther KC, chair of the Independent Inquiry into Telford Child Sexual Exploitation (IITCSE), has published his final review of progress against recommendations set out in his report published in July 2022 after Telford & Wrekin Council commissioned the independent inquiry in 2018. This report marks the formal conclusion of the inquiry process.

Mr Crowther’s report praises the council for its “brave and revolutionary” decision to work closely with three survivors who acted as independent lived experience consultees.

The report also commends the council’s approach as “an admirable model from which others can learn” and recognises the authority has taken “bold action, with the most important of objectives – safeguarding children from CSE”.

The council is clear that this is not the end of the journey and the work to tackle CSE within the borough will continue.

This commitment is also commended by Mr Crowther’s report, which states “the organisations that comprise the key stakeholders, and above all the Council, have demonstrated dedication to implementing the Recommendations in a way that will lead to an enduring change of approach.”

The eight licensing recommendations:

Licensing information sharing with neighbouring authorities - The Council should seek to agree with its neighbour authorities a stricter information sharing agreement, a joint enforcement protocol and a common licensing pricing structure.

Taxi driver training - The Council has an established CSE training programme for taxi drivers; this course should be offered, at a cost, to drivers licensed elsewhere.  In the interim, the Council should publicise the high standards that Telford licensed taxis are already required to meet and raise awareness of how to recognise a locally licensed taxi.

Complaints process - Council to review and improve its complaints process for public complaints or concerns in relation to licensing and/or taxi drivers.

The Council should publish annually, as part of the Joint CSE Review Group Annual Report, a taxi licensing review.

Council to implement a protocol for the sharing of safeguarding information for the purposes of taxi licensing  - The Council should draft and publish within six months of this Report a protocol for the sharing of safeguarding information for the purposes of taxi licensing.

Council to explore implementation of CCTV in taxis - The Council should explore the possibility of installing CCTV in taxis. It should begin by carrying out a full consultation amongst interested parties, in the borough and in the region.

West Midlands Police role in taxi licensing enforcement to be reviewed - WMP should carry out a review of its current involvement in joint taxi licensing enforcement exercises in order to ensure that the exercises are sufficiently regular and rigorous, and that any information or intelligence of concern relating to CSE activity is captured and acted upon.

Review historic premises licences - The Council should take steps to ensure that appropriate conditions are applied in respect of any premises operating under a historic licence; and whatever the terms of a historic licence, the Council should make clear its expectation that any nightclub should operate an ‘18 or over’ entry policy.

Council to review its oversight of restaurant and take-away establishments - In association with its Night-Time Economy officer, Licensing Team and WMP, the Council should review information collection and sharing with regard to CSE concerns involving restaurants, takeaways, mobile food outlets and associated residential premises.

Councillor Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin Council Cabinet Member for the Independent Inquiry into Telford CSE, said:

“Firstly, we would like to pay testament to the work of our lived experience consultee partners whose tenacity and guidance have been instrumental in the positive progress of this inquiry.

“These inspirational people have quite rightly held us to account while also supporting us to shape and deliver improvements to the way in which we act to safeguard children within the borough.

“As an authority, we immediately and unconditionally accepted all of the recommendations raised by this inquiry two years ago. Since then, we have worked tirelessly to progress this work, determined to deliver the recommended improvements.

“We are pleased with today’s findings but what is clear is that the work does not end here. Going forward, we are committed to maintaining our strong working relationship with our lived experience partners to ensure our improvements continue to make a genuine difference and provide the most robust response to this horrific crime that we possibly can. That includes a commitment to ongoing funding. The public must be confident in our approach, and we are committed to ensuring that happens.

“We thank our lived experience partners for their invaluable contribution to this critical piece of work to safeguard our community.”

In a joint statement, Holly Archer, Scarlett Jones and Joanne Phillips – Telford and Wrekin’s lived experience consultees – said:

“Without the input of our lived experience and desire to make a change, the recommendations were just words on paper, at risk of being signed off without being understood. We have been able to bring real life to the reason and the resolution for each recommendation and suitable challenge to national guidance, which means some local children will no longer fall through the net.

“We are immensely proud of what Telford & Wrekin Council have achieved and we hope other Local Authorities will take on board the changes they have made.

“There is still work to be done, and we are keen to keep the momentum going to ensure that the children and young people in Telford are safe and free from sexual exploitation today and in the future.”

A number of the steps taken by the council have already had an impact in the borough, including purchasing 70 CCTV systems for installation in taxis, plus a number of other initiatives which have been recognised as among the very best practice in the country.