The original whistleblower on the kids’ homes scandal said she was pleased to “have a voice” in the town hall for “the first time ever” – but warned: “We are here for however long it takes.”

Social worker Dr Liz Davies told Cllr Richard Watts she had never set foot inside the council’s HQ before, a fact that visibly surprised him.

But she added: “When I raised the issues during the ’90s, as did the police, we clearly gave evidence about organised abuse networks within the borough.

“All my work was completely rubbished [by] Ian White’s report. I was given no validation.”

The White Report, for which Dr Davies was never formally interviewed, was critical of the council but found no evidence of organised abuse.

“We are in a different place from where we were in the ’90s,” she conceded. “I just want to put it for the record that we are not going to stop. We are here for however long it takes.

“We want to see abusers convicted, and those who colluded removed from positions of influence. Some of them are now in very powerful, responsible positions.”

Cllr Watts responded: “Sorry to you on behalf of the council for the way in which the allegations you raised were handled. That’s part of the council’s failure historically.”