A report to be considered by Lambeth's Cabinet today has revealed 14 of the 64 high level actions Lambeth Council promised to deliver in its Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) Action Plan have been delayed.

The IICSA Action Plan Delivery Update also shows that key changes to the Lambeth Council's Disciplinary policy, HR policies and Staff Code of Conduct are at risk of being delayed by up to a year or potentially not implemented at all. They require consultation with trade unions before being put in place.

In its report published in July 2021 IICSA highlighted the cruelty and sexual abuse suffered by at least 705 former residents under the care of Lambeth Council at Shirley Oaks, South Vale and Angell Road children's homes since the 1960s.

The IICSA report said that "a succession of elected members and senior professionals ought to have been held accountable for allowing this to happen, either by their active commission or complicit omission", but only one senior employee, over the course of 40 years, was disciplined by Lambeth Council.

Deputy Leader, Lambeth Council Liberal Democrat Group, Cllr Matthew Bryant commented: "Lambeth Council has quite rightly given a high priority to addressing the issues highlighted by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

"The lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of people have been scarred by the reprehensible events that occurred in our borough over the course of several decades.

"It is very concerning that the Council has failed to meet its own deadlines for implementing a fifth of the urgent actions set out in its IICSA Action Plan.

"In particular the Council needs to explain why vital changes to the Council's Human Resources and Disciplinary policies are set to be delayed by almost a year. 

"Only one Lambeth Council employee was ever disciplined for their role in the child sexual abuse scandal. The Labour administration must ensure these reforms are implemented so council staff who fail to protect children in care in the future are not able to escape consequences."

Cllr Claire Holland, Leader of Lambeth Council, said: "We have accepted that the council of the past failed in its duty to keep children safe and the extent and scale of the abuse, which took place over many decades, remains deeply shocking. The council has accepted responsibility for creating conditions in which adults were able to sexually abuse children in our care.

"As an administration, we have apologised to the victims and survivors for the inexcusable and appalling mistreatment they were subjected to. On behalf of all elected Members and staff, I wish to re-state our sincere and heartfelt apology to all victims and survivors of abuse and neglect while in Lambeth's care.

"As an institution, it is a shame the council will always carry and it is for our administration and future administrations, for councillors and officers, to make sure that such a situation is never allowed to happen again in Lambeth. As responsible corporate parents, this should always be at the forefront of our minds."

The delivery update disclosed that 30 of 64 actions in the plan have been completed and quality assured, including:

• The review of the Member Code of Conduct, ensuring clear directive about the distinction between oversight and scrutiny role of elected Members and operational decision making by Officers.
• The development and implementation of our Directorate's Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plans.
• The review of the council's Constitution, to strengthen corporate parenting responsibilities.
• Updating the council's Whistleblowing Policy to include specific reference to safeguarding concerns.

Lambeth Council confirmed another four actions are due for completion by the end of the year, including:

• The implementation of a refreshed corporate safeguarding policy
• The implementation of the revised elected Member DBS policy.
• The delivery of the first Corporate Annual Day of Reflection, which is being developed with the senior leadership team and with elected Members, the Lambeth Youth Council, Children in Care Council, and engagement with an external mediator working with a small group of survivors of abuse, to make sure the council is giving the appropriate focus in a considered and meaningful way.