OPPOSITION councillors have spoken out in alarm after discovering Dudley Council has failed to address fundamental flaws in its children’s services department which were flagged up by Ofsted three-and-a-half years ago.

This comes as it emerged the cash-strapped council has been paying an interim children’s services director Merline Joseph £800 a day since April.

A 2012 report, following an inspection in late 2011, recommended improvements be made in 13 areas involving safeguarding services and services for looked after children.

But UKIP and Conservative group leaders on the council say it is worrying that none have yet been implemented.

Dudley’s cabinet member for children’s services, councillor Ian Cooper, admitted progress to address the issues highlighted had not been “as quick as we would expect” but stressed the authority was striving to meet the recommendations ahead of Ofsted’s next inspection.

Councillor Patrick Harley, Conservative group leader in Dudley and ward councillor for Kingswinford South, said: “The report was published in January 2012, under our control, but Labour have had three-and-a-half years to do something about the 13 recommendations - they haven’t implemented one; that’s shocking. We hope to sit down and try and resolve the issues but we can’t share the blame.”

Since the report was issued - the department has lost several senior directors and an interim leader is currently heading up children’s services as a suitable permanent candidate to take over has yet to be found.

Councillor Paul Brothwood, UKIP’s leader in Dudley, said: “With shocking allegations of child abuse in other areas of the country we must ensure our children’s services delivers and protects vulnerable children.

“I am deeply concerned that we could potentially have another Rotherham scandal, in Dudley borough, on our hands.”

Cllr Brothwood, who has written to Ofsted over the time taken to begin making the 13 required improvements to safeguarding services and services for looked after children, branded the £800 a day being paid to keep Ms Joseph in post as “an obscene amount of money”.

He added: “How can you justify someone earning more than the Prime Minister? I can’t.

“The key for the tax payer is value for money and so far I don’t believe they are getting it.”

He said the authority has extended Ms Joseph’s contract by another 12 months but he said he could not support the appointment, adding: “She has not proved her effectiveness.”

Councillor Judy Foster, Dudley Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for human resources, defended the temporary appointment of Ms Joseph and said the council had “tried unsuccessfully to recruit to the fill the post, due to a national shortage in this specialist role and our very own high standards we have set for this job”.

She said the post provides key support to the new strategic director for people Tony Oakman, who was appointed in March to the newly created role, and she added: “The care and development of children across the borough is one of our a top priorities and therefore it is essential we take our time to find the right person for the role of chief officer for children’s services.”