Birmingham City Council has expressed its full support for the National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs as the city becomes one of the latest areas under investigation. In a statement on October 1, Council leader Cllr Roger Harmer confirmed Birmingham’s commitment to aiding the inquiry and Operation Beaconport during their forthcoming phase of targeted investigations.
The city was recently added to the list of places under scrutiny due to concerns about both historic and ongoing cases of child sexual exploitation. Cllr Harmer outlined three key commitments from the council: to support the inquiry, protect children, and ensure justice is pursued.
He emphasised that Birmingham welcomes the inquiry, acknowledging that available information suggests a need to examine how organisations in a large metropolitan setting identify, share information about, and respond to instances of child exploitation. As part of transparency efforts, the council is republishing its 1991 report alongside any other historic documents it can locate, allowing the public access to the evidence.
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Cllr Harmer made clear the council’s determination to face the issue openly and without bias. “Every child in Birmingham deserves to be safe. Every victim and survivor deserves to be heard,” he said. He added that perpetrators must be brought to justice regardless of their background.
Reflecting on past failures in safeguarding, he said, “For too many years, children were let down, with survivors bearing the consequences. While we cannot change the past, we can decide what happens next.”
The leader acknowledged the need to follow evidence wherever it leads and address difficult questions, including those related to ethnicity. Yet, he warned against using child sexual exploitation to create divisions, stating, “Abuse is the responsibility of the abuser, and every child must be protected.”
Cllr Harmer concluded by affirming the council’s proactive approach: they will listen to and support anyone who comes forward. Birmingham will fully cooperate with the national inquiry but will also take independent action to protect children, support survivors, and pursue justice. “This is not about protecting institutions or reputations; it is about protecting children. That is our responsibility, and we must meet it,” he said.