BRADFORD Council's Leader has responded to calls for top Council figures to resign over the Star Hobson case by saying the Authority will act on any findings of an upcoming Safeguarding review.

Sixteen month old Star was killed in September 2020, and earlier this week Savannah Brockhill, 28 was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years after being found guilty of murdering the toddler, while Star's mother Frankie Smith, 20, was given an eight year sentence for allowing her death.

Brockhill was Smith's partner at the time.

During the trial it was heard that Bradford Council's Social Services had multiple chances to intervene in Star's life before she died.

A Safeguarding Review into the incident and the failures of Children's Social Services will be published next month.

Immediately after the verdict was delivered, Keighley MP Robbie Moore (Cons) called for the Council's Leader Susan Hinchcliffe and Chief Executive Kersten England to resign.

Now Conservative Councillors have added their voices to calls for the Leadership to consider their positions.

The head of Children's Services at the time of Star's death, Marc Douglas, announced he was stepping down from his role in October.

Councillor Rebecca Poulsen, Leader of Bradford Council Conservative Group, said “The murder of Star Hobson is a horrific and vile crime and our thoughts go out to all her extended family. The details of how Star was treated are horrendous and the community across Keighley are appalled.

"It is clear that opportunities were missed to protect Star and the Conservative Group will be calling for those who let Star down to consider their positions once the details are published in the Safeguarding Practice Review.

"There remain many questions over what went wrong in protecting Star and we will be demanding answers. No child should ever be treated the way Star was treated.”

Councillor Kyle Green, Conservative Spokesperson on Children’s Services added “The murder of Star Hobson is a truly vile crime. I know residents in Keighley will rightly be questioning how this disgusting crime was ever able to take place and if lessons can be learnt to ensure we never see an event like this again.

"I will continue to work with my colleagues to hold the council's leaders, both political and non-political, to account to ensure that the forthcoming safeguarding practice review is not only thorough but that any and all the recommendations it makes are put in place as soon as possible.

"This event also highlights the absolute necessity for Bradford Council to up the pace of improvement for its children's services department, which has been ranked as inadequate since 2018 and I look forward to seeing what action (if any) the government appointed commissioner takes to speed up the pace of these improvements."

In response Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said: “There is nothing more important than improving services for our children.

"The Council, with a new team in Children’s Services, is working closely with the Government appointed commissioner and partner agencies to achieve this.

"Everyone across the partnership has a role to play in driving the necessary rapid improvements.

"The Children’s Scrutiny Board, which has been led by Conservative Councillors for many years now, has an important role in making sure the services are improving and I am sure they will also take that responsibility seriously.

"An independent Local Child Safeguarding Review will be published in January into the terrible murder of Star Hobson. We will need to see the conclusion of that review and all agencies covered by the review will act upon its findings.”