Guidance

Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs: biographies of the chair and panellists

Published 9 December 2025

The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs has been established in response to recommendation 2 of Baroness Louise Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse published in June 2025.

On 9 December 2025 the Home Secretary announced to Parliament the appointment of Baroness Anne Longfield CBE as Chair of the inquiry, and panellists Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE.

1. Baroness Anne Longfield CBE, Chair

Baroness Longfield has worked in the field of children’s policy and advocacy for more than 4 decades. She was appointed as a life peer in December 2024 and introduced to the House of Lords in February 2025. In February 2024, she founded and became Executive Chair of the Centre for Young Lives, an independent think tank and delivery unit focused on improving outcomes for children, young people, and families in the UK.

Before this, she established and chaired the Commission on Young Lives, an independent body tasked with developing proposals to protect vulnerable teenagers and support them to succeed. The commission’s recommendations included the creation of Young Futures, a programme described as a ‘Sure Start for Teenagers’, which has since been adopted by the government.

From March 2015 to February 2021, she served as Children’s Commissioner for England, representing the rights and interests of children and young people. During her tenure, she reported on a range of issues, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children. Earlier in her career, she led a national children’s charity delivering a network of children’s centres, worked in the No. 10 Strategy Unit on the development of the Sure Start programme, and campaigned on childcare policy.

2. Zoë Billingham CBE, Panellist

Zoë Billingham CBE is a former Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services where she led nationally on violence against women and girls and drove fundamental reform in how policing protects women and girls from harm. Her landmark inspections reshaped national policing priorities, culminating in violence against women and girls being recognised as a strategic policing requirement for the first time.
 
Zoë is currently Chair of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, a specialist NHS mental health trust and a trustee of SafeLives, a leading national domestic abuse charity. She holds several prominent governance and advisory roles including Chair of the Police Remuneration Review Bodies which make independent recommendations on police officer pay.

Awarded a CBE for public service in 2022, Zoë is known for her survivor- and victim-centred approach, her independence and her track record of leading complex, sensitive national inspections that drive lasting change.

The Hon Zoë Billingham CBE

3. Eleanor Kelly CBE, Panellist

Eleanor Kelly CBE is a highly respected public sector leader with almost 5 decades of experience in local government and finance, including a period at KPMG. Following senior leadership roles in finance and corporate services Eleanor was appointed to her first chief executive role in Tower Hamlets (1999 to 2002).

Eleanor was Southwark’s Chief Executive for over a decade until 2022 when she retired. She steered the council through a period of significant urban regeneration and growth, and major challenges including, in 2017, the London Bridge terror attack.

During her career she has been called upon to lead on major national and regional responses, including as joint lead on the Grenfell Tower task force and as Local Authority Chief Executive adviser on the COVID-19 National Vaccination Programme.

Eleanor was awarded an honorary fellowship of Kings College in 2022 for services to society.