Richard Leese should resign from his seat from Manchester City Council regrading the appalling grooming scandel Operation Augusta. 

 

We, the people of Greater Manchester do not believe he was unaware of grooming gangs that operated in Greater Manchester in 2004. 

All local authorities knew about the appalling sexual abuse and explotation of young vunerable girls whilst under the care Manchester City Council. Including the death of Victoria. The offical Coroner report that her cause of death was 'X' when it was the fact that she was being given/ injected with heroin. 

Is it reasonable to believe Richard Leese did not know or have any knowledge about these grooming gangs and children in the care of Manchester City Council?

At the time of the grooming,it is believed Richard Leese was the Chair of Childrens Services, as such he was the coperate parent, sharing parental responsibility for looked after children and those accommodated by Manchester City Council.

An additional matter that questions whether he had knowledge at the time, was the investigation into an allegation of a worker at Dickenson Rd, was taking vulnerable girls to meet men on Longsight/Rusholme areas of Manchester.

This matter was both a Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police investigation.

Given the seriousness of the matters being investigated it is reasonable to believe that a strategic management review was not set up to over see and report directly to chair of children services .

It appears, therefore it is difficult to say with absolute conviction that Richard Leese did not have knowledge of what was going on.

The children unit formally known as Dickenson Rd was closed down for a while and then reopened as a MET bed.

 

 

It is not enough that the police and social services are being blamed. Manchester City Council and Richard Leese need to be held accountable.