Staff evidence to be heard in November

Social
workers at the centre of the Victoria Climbie inquiry, which opens
this week, will not be called to give evidence until November, the
provisional witness timetable published this week reveals.

Lisa
Arthurworrey, who was Climbie’s allocated social worker, is
expected to give evidence to phase one of the public inquiry in the
week of 19 November. Angella Mairs, Arthurworrey’s team leader, and
Mary Richardson, then director of social services at Haringey, are
both expected to give evidence in the week of 26 November.

Arthurworrey and Mairs were suspended in October 2000 and March
2001 respectively, and council disciplinary proceedings against
them are due to go ahead once they are released from giving
evidence to the public inquiry.

Evidence
from staff at Ealing Council is due to be heard next week, followed
by staff at Brent Council the week after.

A new
Victoria Climbie inquiry website providing a schedule of witnesses,
daily transcripts, and written witness statements of people who
have finished giving their evidence can be found at www.victoria-climbie-inquiry.org.uk