LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Rotherham is once again a loser due to ‘shameful act’

In my opinion he has been forced to accept a level of accountability for the lack of safe-guarding offered to vulnerable working class children at the time, who were simply thrown under a bus for the sake of social cohesion.

What this act does signal is that the political career of this group of local councillors is finished; the public will simply not let them forget their dereliction of duty to those vulnerable children. The same applies to other positions of public authority and it is surely regrettable that it was necessary for the public to have to spell this out for them.

Yet it is hardly surprising as we read in a letter in the paper (December 15) that Sarah Champion has praised the candidate, that she wasn’t sure Beck was a councillor when The Times blew the CSE scandal wide open. Surely it would have been wiser to check first before heaping praise on this tarnished individual. Perhaps she might be prepared to consider her actions and an apology is the least we should accept. Though I won’t hold my breath waiting on that one.

What this sad episode does highlight is the total lack of real leadership that exists within the current council.

Cllr Beck’s nomination should never have been allowed and those who took part in the selection committee must realise the further unnecessary hurt they have brought to victims and their families.

There must now be further accountability, this weak and febrile leadership must now demand resignations or sackings and they can’t come soon enough.

What has always been ignored is that these children were under age and as such cannot have taken decisions about lifestyle.

They should have been afforded protection but this was not provided to them.

Rotherham is once again the loser from this shameful act.

Allen Cowles, Sitwell Ward