A CALL for multiple high-level resignations will be made next week after an Ofsted inspection revealed a crisis in Wirral children's services.

A special meeting of the full council has been set for Monday afternoon and will hear opposition Conservatives demand: 

The resignation of the leader of the council.

The resignation of the cabinet member for children and family services.

The resignation of chairman of the people overview and scrutiny committee.

The resignation of Labour's "Pledge Champion" for vulnerable children.

The strategic director of families and wellbeing and other senior officers also will be asked to consider their positions and "honestly assess whether they are the right people to lead and oversee the desperate requirement to improve this service."

The heat has been turned up after Ofsted brought to light a devastating catalogue of serious and widespread failings.

Its inspection rated child safeguarding as inadequate - the lowest category possible - and revealed vulnerable youngsters are being subjected to unacceptable delays leading to them facing ever-increasing risks.

The watchdog found almost all the problems disclosed by its review "were known by senior council leaders."

The call for heads to roll is made in a notice of motion from the Tory group which also pours scorn on the leadership for "a culture of spin and news management which has pervaded the Labour ranks" since the critical Ofsted report was made public.

The Lib Dems have also waded in saying: "It is necessary to be clear on who knew what and when and establish if concerns were or were not acted upon in a timely manner."

Labour's own notice in reply says the Ofsted report acknowledged many of the changes suggested have already started.

It says the council should "welcome the quick and clear response of the Labour administration in organising an improvement board...to demonstrate the priority this issue has for the whole authority."

And it stresses that £2m is to be poured into the service "to enable immediate changes to happen at pace."

This includes recruiting a new head of service and other key posts, improvements in training and accountability.

"Keeping our children safe is our highest priority and there is no excuse for failing to deliver the highest quality services to vulnerable young people in Wirral," it says.

"The key priority now is to develop an effective improvement plan with detailed actions and outcomes which address all of Ofsted’s recommendations."