Last year The Suffolk County Public Protection Scrutiny Committee which I chair set up a working party to investigate the strategy set up after the five murders in Ipswich.  We wanted to know whether it had been effective, if it was delivering benefits to young women in the same position as the victims, benefits for residents of the neighbourhoods effected and if the strategy was to continue.  Ann Whybrow, County Councillor for Stowmarket South chaired the working party,  and ensured the task was well done and came to a sound set of recommendations.

It was good to receive, with Ann on June 9th, the Centre for Public Scrutiny’s Overall Impact through Scrutiny Award – chosen by the whole judging panel, on behalf of Suffolk County Council, Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk Police Authority for the Review of the prostitution strategy.   Of course a number of other agencies, individuals and dedicated front line officers contributed to the scrutiny review as they had to the formulation of the strategy and carrying it out. 

I hope our efforts contributed in a small way to ensuring the work to help people improve their lives in the aftermath of the terrible events, continues.