Petition We the undersigned call on the RMBC Strategic Director of Adult Care to provide a “meaningful consultation” with adult survivors of CSE (Child Sexual Exploitation) … to ensure victims and survivors receive timely and confidential support. https://rotherham.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/312143 07.50 mayor’s introduction Then 08.33 Mr Liam Harron is the lead petitioner [incorrect] for the petition on meaningful consultation with adult survivors of Child Sexual Exploitation. However as he has indicated that two survivors wish to address the meeting on this petition I am minded on this occasion and this occasion only to allow this. I understand that Child A and Elizabeth are in the public gallery. Can you please use the microphone to address this council please. 09.25 Child A begins Can I just point out that it’s I and Elizabeth that are the lead on this, not Liam. We just asked him to help us along. [Mayor – Okay]. I would really like to point out that we are people … we aren’t allowing CSE to define us. We had our basic needs stripped of us as children. But as adults we won’t allow it to keep happening. We are adult survivors of CSE in Rotherham and we need meaningful consultations about our needs. Many of us are struggling to get through everything that victims and survivors have to deal with, which by the way is a mountain of a task. On top of this we now have to struggle to get the help that is rightfully ours. We are adults. We want to be treated as professional adults. I am a youth worker and I feel that I have been left high and dry. I have lost complete confidence in Children’s Services in Rotherham. The fact that having to speak out six weeks ago in this chamber on 6th September and I am having to stand here today is very damaging to Rotherham’s reputation. Could you please listen and act quickly. And I’d like to pass Elizabeth on. 11.05 Mayor – thank you. 11.12 Please refer to me as Elizabeth. After the Jay Report RMBC should have consulted us as adult survivors of CSE about how to set up and shape services. This could have been a lead example to the rest of the UK. From the bad that came out of Rotherham something huge and positive could and should have been done to make a much better future for Rotherham and for other places. All I and other survivors have experienced is dishonesty, destruction, disrespect and total denial of our needs. How can anyone have faith in Rotherham when we constantly have to fight for our rights? Jean Imray was appointed to RMBC in April 2015 more than two and a half years ago, before she completed her report in 2015 – she was employed until June 2016. How can Jean Imray’s report be described as an independent investigation? If only Jean Imray had used her time to ensure that Ian Thomas provided a meaningful consultation with adult survivors of CSE we might be in a very different place today. I hope that you the Council will quickly ask Jean Imray to respond to the questions sent to all councillors on Monday and to Sharon Kemp this morning. If you have not already done so please support the change.org petition I started immediately after the meeting here on the 6th September. Please listen and act and act quickly. 12.47 Mayor – Thank you. I want to thank both of you for your contributions today. And the petitioner will receive a written response from the relevant Strategic Director following this meeting. Thank you. 13.07 As a pdf: http://real2.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Rotherham-Council-Meeting-Petition-webcast-18.10.17.pdf