Council staying silent on demands for answers

Dudley Council is staying silent on how it handled the arrest of a headteacher for possession of indecent images.

Councillors and an MP are calling for a meeting to reassure parents at Brockmoor and Brierley Hill primary schools on safeguarding issues after ex-head Russell Bond pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing the images.

The authority said there were no plans for a meeting and, when asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, whether there had been an investigation into safeguarding issues and what was being done to support parents, did not provide an answer.

Instead, the council referred the service to a statement from Tim Sunter, co-chair of governors, Black Country Federation which is an alliance of the two schools.

Mr Sunter said: “The governing body was informed of Mr Bond’s arrest in October last year. 

“He was immediately prohibited from entering either school, from having any contact with children or staff, and his access to all IT systems was disabled. His employment was subsequently terminated by the school and local authority.

“Naturally, the governors’ first concern was whether any children from Brierley Hill or Brockmoor schools had been involved. 

“The police have repeatedly reassured us that they were not and that the offence took place away from the school.”

Bond, aged 41 and from Walsall, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing indecent images of children when he appeared before Birmingham magistrates on August 6.

He was registered as a sex offender and will be sentenced at a later date.

Bond was head of both schools and the case sparked outrage among parents who say they were kept in the dark about the arrest.

Brockmoor councillor Steve Edwards said: “When the school first put their letter to parents saying he was no longer there, they said he was taking time off for personal issues.

“When it came out that he was in court and what he’d been charged with and pleaded guilty to, straightaway parents’ backs were up.

“People feel frustrated and like they have been kept in the dark, when this was coming out there has been no urgent response from anybody.

“The role of the local authority should be to support parents, children and staff but the local authority, at this point, has got no interest whatsoever.”

Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles is joining forces with Cllr Edwards and Brockmoor councillor Alex Dale to demand reassurance.

Ms Eccles said: “Myself, Steve Edwards and Alex Dale are asking the school Trust, governors and LA (local authority) to meet with some parent representatives ahead of the new term, to provide some reassurance to families.

“They are seeking reassurance on safeguarding and staff appointments. It’s difficult because Mr Bond has not yet been sentenced, but was put on leave as soon as the offence came to light.

“I think LA, governors and Trust should agree to meet and give that reassurance to parents and guardians.” 

The situation could escalate when the new term gets underway, parents are threatening to keep their children away from school until they get the answers they are calling for.