Ofsted inspectors have rated the council’s children’s services as inadequate, the lowest possible rating, in a report released this morning.

This result is a step in the wrong direction after the council’s provision was rated ‘requires improvement’ in 2015.

The damning report outlined some serious weaknesses in a leadership which focuses on compliance and processes, as opposed to the lived experience of the children in their care.

As a result of this report the Deputy Director of Children and Adults Services in Medway has stepped down, and the Secretary of State for Education has appointed a Children’s Services Commissioner to make improvements and decide whether or not Medway will be allowed to continue to deliver children’s services.

Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of the Medway Labour and Co-operative Group said, ‘The council clearly hasn’t learned its lesson from the Ofsted report earlier this year which outlined these issues. This raises serious questions about the council’s ability to accept failure and make improvements.

‘Labour have consistently called for separate Directors of Children and Adults Services. Currently both of these roles sit with one individual, which results in diluted leadership and capacity.

‘The Conservative government’s austerity regime has resulted in huge cuts to the funding available to local councils, with Medway having 28% less funding for children’s services than in 2010, at a time when increasing numbers of children and young people are in need of help.

‘The new portfolio holder will need to show strong leadership following a succession of negative reports of this nature.

‘Medway’s 70,000 young people deserve better than this.’

Cllr Clive Johnson, Medway Labour and Co-operative Spokesperson for Children and Young People said, ‘Against the background of austerity inspired cuts to public services and increasing pressures on families and children as a result of poorer working conditions and increased cost of living, Medway’s children’s services have a vital role to play in supporting our most vulnerable young people.

‘That’s what makes this report so shocking, that despite the hard work of our social workers they have not been given the tools or the leadership support to do their jobs.

‘This report is a horrifying catalogue of vulnerable children put at risk by this Conservative administration. They seem to have learnt nothing and our services for young people have got worse since the last inspection.

‘It is appalling to read in the report judgments such as “often inaccurate audit findings”, “false evaluations”, “insufficient analysis and understanding”, “fragmented systems”, and “continuing risk to children”.

‘Medway’s administration should hang their heads in shame that this report is so poor. Medway Labour and Co-operative Group are clear that, after 16 years of the Conservative’s stewardship of Medway’s children’s services, it is this Conservative administration who are responsible for this disgraceful report.

‘At this eleventh hour, Medway Tories have put us in danger of losing control over our own children’s services, with a government appointed commissioner deciding whether they are competent enough to run such a vital service.’

Read the report here: Children’s services inspection Medway 2019