LIVERPOOL City Council boss Ged Fitzgerald this afternoon made his first comments in response to the child sex exploitation scandal in Rotherham.
Mr Fitzgerald was chief executive of the under-fire Rotherham Council between 2001 and 2003.
He has returned to his Dale Street office after returning from an overseas holiday.
Mr Fitzgerald was responding to the publication of the Alexis Jay report into the events in Rotherham during which at least 1,400 young females were exploited by organised rings of men in the town.
In a statement, issued through the City Council, Mr Fitzgerald said: “My thoughts are with all of the vulnerable young people who were exploited and let down by the care and protection systems in Rotherham, across the council and South Yorkshire Police over a long period of time.
“I abhor the actions of the perpetrators of abuse, both those who have been caught and those who have not yet been caught.
“The publication of the report into child sex exploitation, and the media coverage which has followed, has raised questions about my tenure as Chief Executive of Rotherham Council between 2001 and 2003.
'Inappropriate'
"Given the comments that have been made, and the associated media coverage, I will be discussing this matter in some detail with my current employers at Liverpool City Council in the coming days. I endorse the calls being made for a public inquiry and will continue to assist voluntarily and openly any investigation, review or public inquiry into this extremely serious matter.
“However, until the next steps are clearer in respect of any formal or judicial processes set up as a consequence of the Rotherham report, and discussions to be held with the Mayor of Liverpool, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage.”
Mayor Anderson has already indicated he will be discussing the situation with Mr Fitzgerald as well as with Alexis Jay.
There is no indication when the chief executive and Mayor Anderson will be meetinG.
