Q1 Were you part of the DLT (Directorate Leadership Team) when the DLT agreed to seek some independent, expert guidance on the content of Voices of Despair Voices of Hope? Q2 Who first made you aware of the concerns raised in the Freedom of Information (FOI) request dated 16.9.15 and on what date? Q3 Were you the author of the FOI response dated 7.12.15 and the statement “Two copies of the document were sent with an explanation about why an independent view was being sought”? Q4 Did you initially provide all of the information that you held including notes and emails when responding to the FOI request dated 16.9.17? Q5 Did you discuss the document Voices of Despair Voices of Hope and RMBC’s 1500 copies - A Response to FOI Response (7.12.15) - 15.12.15 with Linda Harper, Acting Director of Children’s Services, before Linda met one of the co-authors of Voices of Despair Voices of Hope on 30.12.15? Q6 What is the name and position of the so-called “independent, expert” you contacted? What date did you first contact this person? Note: Jean Imray was appointed by letter on 23 October 2014 as Independent Investigator to Review Cases A to O. The Council agreed to pay fees of £675 per day inclusive of all expenses. Before Jean Imray completed her report in May 2015, she was appointed as Interim Deputy Strategic Director of CYPS, RMBC. Sharon Kemp, Chief Executive, has stated that Jean Imray was appointed to the authority on 6 April 2015. It appears that Jean Imray was employed by RMBC until 9 June 2016. ………………………………………..…………………………..…………………………..………………….. Background Information On 16 September 2015 one of the co-authors of Voices of Despair Voices of Hope sent a Freedom of Information request to Malcolm Newsam, Independent Commissioner of Children’s Services in Rotherham. ----- Original Message ----- To: malcolm.newsam@rotherham.gov.uk Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2015 8:41 PM Subject: Freedom of Information (FOI) Request 16.9.15 - Voices of Despair, Voices of Hope Dear Malcolm Freedom of Information (FOI) Request 16.9.15 The email from David McWilliams yesterday about Voices of Despair, Voices of Hope is both baffling and distressing. I think it is essential, for the public record, to get to the bottom of all of the mistakes that have been made. As a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request, I am asking for a copy of all communications relating to Voices of Despair, Voices of Hope from 2 December 2014 up to 16 September 2015. Would you please pass this request onto the appropriate authority Looking back more than two years, there is indisputable evidence that information requested on 16.9.15 was deliberately withheld and is still being withheld. For more information please refer to the document shared with Marie Buxton, Head of Information Management, Customer, Information and Digital Services, Finance and Customer Services RMBC on 11.9.17: Notes about FOI Request 600 (and Internal Review) and FOI Request 989 - 11.9.17 Pdf here: http://real2.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Notes-about-FOI-Request-600-and-Internal-Review-and-FOI-Request-989-11.9.17.pdf Also see: http://real2.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Adult-survivors-of-CSE-in-Rotherham-want-Jean-Imray-to-answer-these-questions.-16.11.17..pdf Website with further information: http://real2.org/adult-survivors-of-cse-in-rotherham-want-jean-imray-to-answer-these-questions/