Telford misses out on £13m fund to help vulnerable children

The Home Office is making £13 million available to be split between 11 authorities, but Telford & Wrekin Council's bid was rejected.

The borough has made national headlines over claims that hundreds of girls could have been groomed and abused there over the past 40 years.

It follows Operation Chalice, which saw seven men jailed in Telford in 2013.

The Trusted Relationships Fund invited local authorities to apply for funding to run projects aimed at fostering relationships between frontline staff and at-risk children.

The money will be spent on schemes which aim to intervene early if a child is at risk of falling into abuse or crime.

Council bosses in Telford say they are disappointed to have missed out on the funding and are still waiting to hear the reason why.

Clive Jones, director of children’s and adult services at Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “We are extremely disappointed not to have been successful in our bid to the Home Office to support our work with vulnerable young people.

"We were made aware of the decision from the Home Office a number of weeks ago and I wrote to them immediately asking for clarification about why our very detailed bid was unsuccessful.

"To date I’ve heard nothing back.

“Keeping young people and children safe is the most important thing we do at Telford & Wrekin Council and we will continue to invest in our safeguarding services to ensure the right support and help is available.”

Authorities which were successful in getting the funding include Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council which is to receive £1m.

Other local authorities receiving funds include Bradford, Greater Manchester, Hounslow, Hackney, North Yorkshire, North Somerset, York, Ealing, North East Lincolnshire, and Northampton Borough Council.

Earlier this month it emerged that Telford & Wrekin Council was looking at the long-term funding of the The Holly Project in Telford, which offers a free and independent support service for CSE survivors and their families.

The council has funded the service, based in Wellington, for its first six months, but is now in talks to fund it over the long term.

The Truth Project visited the county earlier this year as part of the national Jay Inquiry into child sexual exploitation.

Telford & Wrekin Council has also agreed to commission an independent inquiry into CSE within the borough.