IT IS welcome news that Thames Valley Police are committing a serious sum of money to prevent the exploitation of children but there should be a question over the timing.

The force – which is under significant financial pressure, it must be remembered – is setting aside £500,000 to investigate whether the sexual exploitation of children is a more widespread problem than first feared.

It comes three months after the first arrests in Operation Bullfinch, the alleged sex ring that police have said may have targeted up to 50 girls.

More latterly the horrifying details of gangs preying on young girls in northern England have emerged.

The scale and sophistication of these gangs has taken many by surprise, including, we suspect, police.

Yet the investigations in the north pre-date Oxford’s own Bullfinch by years and, given the extent of them, police nationally have questions to answer about when the scale was recognised and forces told to be more vigilant.

Police can’t be expected to magically know everything that is happening in our communities, yet Thames Valley was unfortunately found woefully wanting in its handling of convicted paedophile David Cox recently – leading to uncomfortable questions about the safety of our children.

Now Chief Constable Sara Thornton has secured £500,000 to dig deeper into the issue over the next 18 months and it will be interesting to see what emerges.

There is part of us all, we’re sure, that would be quite happy to see this significant sum of public money effectively wasted if it means our communities are not riven with these vile paedophiles.