Devon council requests government help after abuse case

A council has asked for government help to mend fractious relationships with its staff following its handling of allegations against a councillor.

Former councillor John Humphreys was jailed for 21 years for sexually assaulting two boys in 2021.

East Devon District Council said in a letter seen by the BBC a "corrosive set of relationships" was impacting its ability to provide safeguarding.

The government said it would respond in due course to the request.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) has declined to comment.

Humphreys was first questioned in 2005 and arrested in 2016, but was the mayor of Exmouth from 2010 to 2012 and an East Devon District Councillor for 12 years until 2019.

He was also bestowed the honorary title of alderman in December 2019.

In the letter to Communities Secretary Michael Gove, council leader Paul Arnott wrote a "historic case of paedophilia and the way it has been treated within the council" was affecting its ability to provide "proper safeguarding for all vulnerable residents".

"The failure to resolve this issue properly is leading to a corrosive set of relationships between the controlling partnership of councillors and staff which is proving difficult to resolve," the letter, dated 23 June, said.

It continued: "We are writing to you at this point because the LGA Conference is occurring early in July, and we would like to take the opportunity [to] meet up with your senior staff who will be present at the conference to discuss the proposals that councillors are making to redress the problems and move forward."

An independent report, yet to be published, into how EDDC handled child sex abuse allegations against Humphreys is understood to be at the centre of the row.

The letter also stated the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny have both already been involved with trying to ease tensions at the council.

Councillors ask in the letter that government officials are involved with overseeing an "improvement journey" aimed at bringing the cabinet and senior managers together as a "unified team" that can "move forward as one body".

It was co-signed by councillors Paul Hayward, Eileen Wragg, Eleanor Rylance and Sam Hawkins.

EDDC has previously admitted a senior member of staff was made aware of the investigation during three safeguarding meetings with police in 2016.

But it did not take any formal or informal action against Humphreys - it said the employee was restricted from alerting his colleagues about the case because of police confidentiality rules.

After his arrest for child sex abuse in 2016, Humphreys continued to mix with children while serving as a councillor until May 2019, before being made an alderman later that year.

While his political career progressed, the police investigation into the former Exmouth mayor's crimes remained active behind the scenes.

He was sentenced to 21 years in jail in August 2021 after being found guilty of sexually abusing two boys before he was a councillor.

A government spokesperson confirmed the letter had been received and said the secretary of state would consider a response to the council and "respond in due course".

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