Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, spoke to a meeting of the University of the Third Age at the Showroom Cinema, Sheffield, about his work as commissioner and to answer questions.

He reminded the audience of several hundred that he came to the post following the Jay Report into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham, three years ago this month. This was followed by the verdicts into the Hillsborough disaster. These two issues continue to take up a fair amount of his time.

Dr Billings said: “South Yorkshire Police and the local authorities have come a long way since 2014. Grooming is better understood. Victims are better supported. Police are better trained. Multi-agency teams – Local authorities, NHS, Barnados, police – have been established across the county. There have been important trials with offenders receiving long sentences at Sheffield Crown Court. Survivors of CSE have helped the police improve their response.

“The National Crime Agency has now taken over the non-recent CSE work – the biggest investigation of its kind in the country – but there is still a long way to go in identifying all the young people in Professor Jay’s report. And all this has to be managed with diminishing financial resources.

“As long as I am Commissioner, CSE and child abuse more generally, will remain a top priority for the force.”