Labour has suspended the whip of a council member who dozed off during a meeting addressing issues related to child sexual exploitation
Alan Atkin nodded off in an ‘improving lives select committee’ meetings held on Tuesday (30 January) which was to update Rotherham councillors on what was being done to keep children safe in the borough
They were scrutinising council support for survivors of child sexual exploitation.
Cllr Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, released a statement condoning councillor Atkin’s behaviour, describing it as “far from the standard of professionalism and diligence” they expected.
“The Labour Party takes tackling child exploitation incredibly seriously. The response of the council to threats to children has been transformed under our leadership in recent years, as the presentation to Scrutiny this morning showed.
“Cllr Atkin’s conduct in today’s meeting was far from the standard of professionalism and diligence we expect from our elected officials, and as such we have suspended the whip from Cllr Atkin. We are a changed Labour Party, and the public have a right to know that all Labour Party elected officials are of the highest standard.”
