Of Rochdale, and Danczuk, and Wirral, and abuse...


From: Paul Cardin
Sent: 24 May 2013 12:24
To: 'simon.danczuk.mp@parliament.uk' (Rochdale MP)
Subject: Anna Klonowski report

Dear Mr Danczuk,

I think you should be made aware that AKA Associates, Anna Klonowski’s consultancy, appointed to look at the Rochdale abuse case, have had some questionable procedures when conducting ‘independent’ investigations.

Listed here are my concerns following Anna Klonowski’s £250,000 report into abuse and failed governance at Wirral Council:

http://wirralinittogether.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/foi-request-consultant-anna-klonowski-declarations-costs-nature-of-association/

Of primary concern is the fact that AKA repeatedly refused requests to dual-tape-record their interviews with Social Services officers (standard procedure when the police conduct such interviews with suspects). On Wirral, this ‘escape hatch’ has allowed abusers to ‘fly the nest’ with no chance whatsoever of accountability arriving. Indeed Wirral found itself in a position where it could redact the identities held in the report, and apply compromise agreements with gagging clauses to those found to have been involved in abuse towards disabled people. The running total in public money pay-offs is now approaching £1 million. The disturbing aspect is that the abusers are now free to apply for senior jobs elsewhere – and to put the icing on the cake, they are likely to be sued and taken through the courts by the council should they breach their gag and speak about the circumstances of their departure i.e. involvement in abuse.

Of secondary concern, but still very important is Anna Klonowski’s apparent failure to declare a prior interest or affiliation with Wirral Council. As you can see from the above linked information, I’m still waiting to receive a copy of Wirral’s External Investigations Policy & Procedure. I’ve been waiting a year for the FoI request, and have even made a recent direct approach for them which has failed. Klonowski DID have a prior association which began in 2006 in the form of ‘governance training sessions’ given to senior officers and councilors. I don’t know whether AKA have an undeclared prior association with Rochdale Council, but this information could be gleaned by looking in the “Openly Local” database of council contractors.

I’d be most interested to hear from you, and hope that AKA have tightened their procedures for what has been a highly disturbing sexual abuse case. Council officers involved either in abuse, or in allowing it to occur, should face accountability for their conduct,

Best regards,

Paul Cardin

Reply.... came there NONE...


Reply · Report Post