Council leader accuses MP of smearing him

Council Leader Richard Farnell

Rochdale Council's new leader, Richard Farnell has accused Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin of trying to smear him for saying Councillor Farnell should not have taken up the role while an investigation into sexual abuse at Knowl View School in the early 1990s takes place.

Councillor Farnell, who was reinstalled as leader last week, was leader of the Council between 1987 and 1992 and MP Jim Dobbin said on the Sunday Politics show on BBC today (Sunday 8 June) it was "not wise" for him to be leader while the review takes place.

Mr Dobbin said: "Because Richard was leader of the council at the time that these accusations were made - even though he may well have known not known anything about it - I think it is wrong for him to be taking up the leadership at this particular time."

However, Mr Dobbin was challenged about his position as he was deputy leader of the Council and went on to be leader before becoming an MP. On the programme Mr Dobbin claimed that he had known "nothing at all" about the allegations during his time as Mr Farnell's deputy. He said the first he knew of the allegations of abuse at Knowl View was in 1999 when a person he described as a young man made allegations of abuse that had happened to him at Knowl View as a boy. In fact, the person who made the allegations was not a young boy who had been abused, rather it was Martin Digan, a qualified social worker who blew the whistle on the abuse and who handed a dossier to Mr Dobbin's office. Talking to Rochdale Online today he was very angry, he said: "Jim Dobbin was disgraceful on the BBC Politics programme, I handed him a detailed dosier. I was not some troubled teenager, which is the impression he conveyed."

Councillor Farnell was also annoyed at Mr Dobbin's comments, he said: "Any suggestion that I knew about and did nothing about allegations at Knowl View is an outright nonsense. Any suggestion I was involved a cover-up is absolutely ridiculous.

"I am appalled that some people are attempting to use the serious abuse at Knowl View as a political football to try and smear me. It is an utter disgrace - they should be concerned about getting justice for the victims.

"After losing a democratic vote by a wide margin, it is incredible that some people are prepared to now sink so low just to try and smear me. I find it sickening and so will the public.

"Although it is 22 years since I was last Leader of the Council, I am sure that allegations surrounding Knowl View made to health and council staff during the seven months towards the end of my leadership were not brought to my attention. I ceased to be the Leader in May 1992.

"I totally support the independent review and I have already indicated this to Neil Garnham QC. The review team has my complete support.

"The review is very important to the Council and Rochdale and the Inquiry should be allowed to get on with its job without interference from politicians.

"Until such time as the Review is finalised I am legally advised that, as Leader of the Council, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further."

An independent inquiry into the role of Rochdale Council is due to report at the end of July.