'Angry' Minister wants urgent report after boys' horror attack

CHILDREN’S Secretary Ed Balls has demanded a report by the end of this month into whether failings in Doncaster over the horrific attacks on two boys in Edlington are being addressed.

He told the Yorkshire Post he is “angry” at the way agencies made a host of mistakes that allowed two young brothers to carry out the vicious attacks.

He has written to Sir Peter Kemp, whom he installed as chairman of a Children’s Board advising the council when the Government intervened last year, and asked for an urgent report following the conviction of the Edlington attackers.

It follows a serious case review which concluded the attack – where the victims were lured to secluded woodland and subjected to 90 minutes of torture and sexual humiliation – was preventable, and made a string of recommendations.

In his letter to Sir Peter, Mr Balls said: “I am aware that action is already under way to implement the recommendations but it is imperative that this action is now driven forward with appropriate pace and rigour.

“I should therefore be grateful if you would report to me by the end of February on the progress made in taking forward these lessons and the arrangements in place to monitor their implementation on an ongoing basis.”

Mr Balls thought improvements had been made but there was “still some way to go”.

He also defended his position in refusing to publish the full serious case review, something the Tories pledged to do if they win the General Election.

Doncaster’s elected mayor, Peter Davies, had until yesterday made no comment on the crisis in children’s services, and did not attend a council-held Press conference after the publication of the serious case review and the jailing of the Edlington attackers.

Last night he told the Yorkshire Post he was not “keeping his head down” as critics have suggested, and said he felt there was nothing to be gained for the victims of the terrible assaults or for the council from continuing to talk about the difficulties.

Instead he said he had put his faith in his Cabinet member for

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