Gove rejects report on violent boys as Yorkshire Post fights to end secrecy

the issues, the necessary lessons and improvements, and action taken.”

In a statement yesterday, Mr Gove said: “Doncaster has made progress since 2009 under its new leadership. But in order to continue, and accelerate, this progress, it is essential that Doncaster learns all the lessons of the past the better to protect Doncaster’s children today and in the future.”

Doncaster Council insisted it had improved and denied trying to stop publication of the full serious case review to keep its failings secret. The previously published executive summary found the attack could have been prevented.

The council was due to contest publication at the upcoming tribunal and a witness statement from assistant children’s director Vicki Lawson said she “strongly disagreed” with publication of the report because it was “not... in the best interests of the children and families concerned.”

Yesterday, the council’s children’s director Chris Pratt denied the council wanted the report kept secret because staff were not making good enough progres.

Despite opposing publication, Mr Pratt said he welcomed the Government’s re-examination of how the process should work.

He added: “I think there is a need to report in a much clearer way to the public about what is happening in serious case reviews and in that regard I think we would agree with what the Secretary of State is saying.”

He said the second review was also a “matter for the Government” and did not reflect negatively on the work that had been done in the past three years.

The Edlington attack was the final straw for the Government which ordered full-scale intervention into the running of Doncaster Council following a highly critical Audit Commission report in 2010 on its dysfunctional management.

Intervention in children’s services had begun the previous year when it emerged seven children known to the town’s social services had died since 2004,

The council also revealed yesterday that it is taking disciplinary action against five members of staff and has referred one former employee to the General Social Care Council, the social care regulator.

Comment: Page 12.