The three images below are screenshots taken from the Public Health Wales tableau on the 17th October, 2020.
The first is #PHW figures which show nearly one million tests for #Covid19 have been carried out on 641,367 people in Wales and reports 1,708 deaths due to suspected Covid19.
The second is a graph showing the 'Cumulative deaths by Health Board of residence' -
The third screenshot has been taken from a page which can be found when pressing on the ONS deaths tab (Office for National Statistics) and shows that there have been 900 more deaths than reported by Public Health Wales.
The Public Health Wales tableau can be found here - https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary
In 2018, the BBC reported that staff at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle in Penygroes, had contacted their Trade Unions - NASUWT, NEU and UCAC with concerns about how the school was being run. The statement from Gwynedd council insisting good progress was being made held no water with the staff who wanted to discuss their concerns with an 'independent' party.
The joint letter from the unions repeated previous concerns teaching staff had with the school's management. Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle was placed in special measures in 2015 which lasted until 2017 after 'robust' improvements had been made.
The BBC article from the 18th May, 2018 with the headline 'staff issue strike ballot threat' can be found here -https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-44165753
Sadly, issues with the school continue. A recent article published on the 7th October, 2020, by the Local Democracy reporter, Gareth Wyn-Williams, reports on an internal review commissioned by Cyngor Gwynedd
council and compiled in February.
From the Daily Post article headlined - Staff morale 'extremely low' at North Wales secondary school, damning report finds -
Despite an acceptance that general pupil behaviour had improved, the
report revealed that some staff remained negative about "concerning"
aspects relating to a "small core."
With staff confidence in the
leadership of the headteacher "needing to be restored," it reported
staff openly admitting they were "afraid of some pupils" with some
feeling that Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle was "sometimes used as a dumping
ground for troublesome pupils from other schools".
Among
findings was that governors "did not have a firm grasp" of how the
school was operating, with a danger of the body becoming "factionalised"
into those who supported the headteacher and those who didn't, while
also being "slow to act" on performance issues.
Many staff including the Head have been off sick for long absences which has simply added to the many problems the school has faced.
Whilst the school, the governors, the council, the GwE, tom cobley and all scramble to protect their own reputations, the well being of the children and their education for their futures appear to be last on the list of priorities.
Caernarfon has been an area of deprivation since forever. Millions of pounds has been thrown at the area by UK government(s), the Welsh Assembly and the European Union over the years but the people remain poor. Poor quality housing and high rents exacerbate the issues. In the 80's, heroin, poor wages and unemployment were the problem. Now it is cocaine, poor wages and unemployment..
The local children in the area suffer the consequences that such deprivation has on the mental health of their parents and the local communities yet the council pull youth clubs and support services and local businesses either close or reallocate. A vicious cycle over and over...
A 2018 FOI request revealed that 21% of the pupils at the school were recognised as having Additional Learning Needs. If the Head and staff are off sick what happens then ? How are these children being supported ?
Pupil Referral Units (PRU's) were until 2013 held in separate buildings away from school premises, now they are run on site within the schools. The PRU's in Gwynedd were highly regarded but closed due to the cuts imposed by the council. Have the closures lead to the dumping of these children back into schools who can not cope to the detriment of all ?
The figures for those recognised with ALN are even higher in other schools in Gwynedd.
ADYaCH Behaviour Support link for those who have an interest -
The Behaviour Support Service seeks a positive change in the behaviour
of young people who experience behavioural, emotional and social
development difficulties. The aim is to improve behaviour and reduce the
risk of exclusion from school.
It is now October - one full year of Cyngor Gwynedd council being in non compliance of the Ombudsman for Wales recommendations -
"71. The Council should (within three months) seek specialist input to
develop a plan for dealing with future assessment and support requests
from/for those suffering with Autism."
Nick Bennett has given the council chance after chance and even expressed to the family, his frustrations over the situation with the council - all to no avail it seems.
The council's CEO, Dilwyn Williams, appears to blame the SS departments for the 'slippage' whilst doing nothing to take control of the situation, himself. Whilst the Director of SS, who has no social work background blames the recent pandemic (that doesn't explain what happened to compliance before that time)
What to do now ? Putting in yet another complaint to the council means placing 'independent investigators' in the firing line to be bullied amd overwhelmed by senior officers and I am not prepared to do that.
Raise yet another complaint with the Ombudsman ? What is the point ? Mr Bennett is not respected by anyone in this corner of North Wales and appears powerless to hold councils to account and so it would be a waste of public resources to do so.
The complaints system in Wales is not fit for purpose and Judicial Review appears to be the only way to hold any public organisation to account. But there is no legal aid and what family can afford the £25K+ - minimum - that is required to bring such a case ? Local authorities as we know have an unlimited amount of money at their disposal from public funds.
The Ombudsman wrote to say that the autism specialist commissioned by the council promised to present their draft report to the council by the end of September 2020.
Not quite what the the recommendation called for, but, as Mr Bennett says, it is up to him to accept any variation on recommendations - as he sees fit.
No mention is made of the Ombudsman even receiving a copy of the draft report himself and even so draft reports can be changed.......
What next ? An email from the ombudsman later on today ?
Something is very, very wrong within Gwynedd council.
