Where Are The Voices Of The Children? Cyngor Gwynedd Council...

It is not usual for a CEO of a county council to deny involvement in the delay of a report -
Council boss denies it was behind Foden report delay
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1kwy7wnnk4o

Nor is it usual for a safeguarding board to delay a review report whilst it 'considers its legal obligations and information sharing further' 

Due to the lack of trust in the council, it is understandable that the CEO, Dafydd Gibbard, felt the need to publicly deny involvement. What is the reasoning behind the North Wales Safeguarding Board's decision to delay the Jan Pickles review? 

The Jan Pickles review, aided by the Genevieve Woods report, looked at the crimes of paedophile headteacher, Neil Foden and how he continued to abuse even after concerns were raised against him...

Foden could have been stopped yet many people failed to do so...
Claims of undeserved examination passes at Ysgol Friars do not appear to have been investigated, nor when Foden's own union, the NEU, took action against him. There was much anger over the no school meals policy for children who had 2p of debt during the pandemic and also the video of the alleged assault on a pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle - 
Head teacher filmed appearing to grab pupil by scruff of the neck  
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/head-teacher-filmed-appearing-grab-22967578

Much of what Foden did made the press and social media. Concerns were raised about his behaviour at Gwynedd's education/economy scrutiny committee - on more than one occasion. This committee are also investigating safeguarding in schools but it is unlikely their own lack of action will be examined in any detail.

Dewi Jones, the cabinet member for education, is leading the investigation. 
The panel's draft report, originally due in September 2025, then 11th December 2025,  has now been delayed until 12th February 2026. 

The reason being that members forgot to include the voices of children in the investigation...

More information can be found in the  Education/Economy draft forward programme - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/s46071/2025-10-16%20Education%20and%20Economy%20Scrutiny%20Committee%20Forward%20Programme%202025-26.pdf

So what of Gwynedd's Scrutiny Forum?
This Forum is made up of the chair and vice chair of each scrutiny committee and aided by senior officers it decides on what is of importance for investigation and/or discussion at forward meetings. 

Has Foden ever been the subject of discussion by this forum, or any of the other 'informal' scrutiny meetings, not open to the public..?

What of the monitoring officer and the legal team's advice to senior officers over the years?
Did they not raise questions re Foden with the senior officers?
Were they advising senior officers?

The Genieve Woods report has already led to two senior officers within children's SS being 'absent from work' Perhaps the child practice review will highlight how these girls were failed?

Some may say that it was the procedures that failed, but the procedures could only be robust if they were implemented in a timely and correct manner by those whose job it was to protect children...

Those will include school governors, the former head(s) of education, cabinet member(s), senior officers within social services and the safeguarding/child protection team. 

It should come as no surprise - though many will claim it to be - that some of these officers are the same ones responsible for allowing social workers to bully, undertake fake assessments on children, interfere in investigations and mislead the Obudsman for Wales. One social worker appears to have been promoted after giving evidence to an investigation that was later called out as 'disingenuous' by the PSOW. 
The Ffordd Gwynedd way...?

The director of Gwynedd SS, Huw Dylan Owen, spoke of the embarrassment to come during his presentation of his Annual Report at a meeting of the full council. His report can be found in the agenda pack - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//mgChooseDocPack.aspx?ID=5504

Owen will have had knowledge of the Genevieve Woods report since March. 
His report appears to have been written at the same time as it contains little new information since then. No statement on the head of SS, Marian Parry Hughes, still 'absent from work'.

It is presumed that the complaints manager is also 'absent from work', due to his lack of input in the complaints handling report.

Having these officers 'absent from work' may have improved some aspects of the department but their wages are considerable and that means that children's services are losing out on £4 to £5K a week. 

One would hope that Owen will have spent some time going through past cases involving these officers looking for anything of concern. It is not likely that reports written by these officers will properly inform the director. Has he read the investigative reports created by the Canolfan Brynffynnon affair and associated 'employment' investigation reports? 

A reminder that draft reports are often more informative as not all criticism of individuals/departments make the final cut...

Then there are the several PSOW investigations...

A public inquiry is needed.  

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...

‘Our Bravery Brought Justice’ Delayed Yet Again - Neil Foden Cyngor Gwynedd...

The Gwynedd Child Practice Review into paedophile headteacher Neil Foden, first due in early Spring, then late Spring, then September has been delayed yet again - 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp98739vz49o

‘Our Bravery Brought Justice' review led by Jan Pickles, appears to have been usurped by the North Wales Safeguarding Board, which released a statement on its website - 

The North Wales Safeguarding Board have made the decision to delay the publication of the Gwynedd Child Practice Review this month as it considers its legal obligations and information sharing further.
https://www.northwalessafeguardingboard.wales/gwynedd-child-practice-review/

The NWSB is made up of senior officers from various organisations including local councils, North Wales Police, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Probation service.
https://www.northwalessafeguardingboard.wales/nwsab-members/

Cyngor Gwynedd's Corporate Director and their Head of Adults SS sit on the board.

There is considerable anger with the delay and, for many, it shows little thought for the survivors and their families, more an exercise in protecting reputations? 

Class actions against the council...
In other news, the Neil Foden case is still deemed a risk to the council by Gwynedd's Governance and Audit committee held on the 11th September. Article 4 was also highlighted as a risk but no mention of Canolfan Brynffynnon. Is that case also considered a risk?

Gwynedd's head of Finance also presented the draft accounts to the committee. They show money in reserves to be £592 million and usable reserves of £137 million...

Governance and Audit is the most important committee of a council and it is a surprise that cyngor Gwynedd do not webcast the meeting. The meetings, held over Zoom, are recorded but not available for later viewing by councillors nor the public. Not one member asked about the turmoil within the children's SS department, with senior officers still 'absent from work'.

Due to the make up of the G&A committee, not all members may be privy to the disclosures to councillors so it was disappointing that the Care Scrutiny committee, held on the 25th September, did not ask the interim head of children services, Aled Gibbard, if services were being affected. Hasn't the director of SS raised concerns..?

The agenda pack and SS Annual Complaints Handling reports can be found here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5530/Public%20reports%20pack%2025th-Sep-2025%2010.00%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

The report mirrors last years report, presented by the senior safeguarding officer, Dafydd Paul. It gives little information on the nature of the complaints and, as before, tries to divert attention by attacking vexatious customers. A reminder that the way senior officers report is not always accurate... 

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council... 

 

 

 

Private Sector Landlords In Gwynedd...

The photo below was taken during the fitting of an electrical consumer unit by a landlord into his rented property in Gwynedd.

The consumer unit failed an electrical inspection some years ago and a HHSRS report was recently created by cyngor Gwynedd after their inspection of the property, which found this and other hazards, in March of this year and gave advice on how the hazards were to be remedied by the landlord. 

In early July, no work had been started on the property when the landlord then emailed the tenant wanting the tenant to pay £65 an hour for his 'professional fee' (to include any standing time), another £35 an hour for a labourer, plus skip/trailer hire, .85p a mile travel expenses and all materials to be charged. 

The enforcement officer was informed of the situation, he then emailed the landlord to make it very clear that he could not charge the tenant anything and these costs were the landlords responsibility. 

The landlord is not a qualified electrician and ignored repeated directions from the local private housing enforcement officer that any electrical work "MUST" be carried out by a qualified electrician. 

On the 2nd September, he began ripping out the old electrical box. He was reminded of the council's report and directions but told the tenant to ring cyngor Gwynedd's enforcement officer if not happy.

During that call, the council enforcement officer u-turned and confirmed that an unqualified person installing a new electrical box is now acceptable as the council wanted the work progressed. 
Is this usual?

The officer has said there are only two officers for the whole of Gwynedd and that a lot of their time is spent dealing with houses of multiple occupation. (HMO's)

The consumer unit has not yet been tested by a qualified electrician but the council officer assured the tenant it would be certified in one week. 
Perhaps the fire insurance should be increased? 

New Director - Same Old...? Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

The new corporate director of cyngor Gwynedd is Catrin Thomas, replacing Geraint Owen, who had worked for the council even before its name change in 1996, after the first child abuse scandal.

From the Cambrian News -
Council leader Nia Jeffreys congratulated Catrin on her appointment, adding: “It is always a pleasure to work with Catrin, and I am really looking forward to the next chapter. Her recent experience working for Adra will also bring a different perspective to the council.

Council Chief Executive of Dafydd Gibbard said: “Catrin is already familiar to many of us here at Cyngor Gwynedd, and it is always great to see former members of staff returning to the authority with valuable experiences from other organisations. 
https://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/news/gwynedd-councils-new-corporate-director-817128

Catrin Thomas has been employed at cyngor Gwynedd for many years but went to work for Adra, as head of customer services - last year. 

She is now back and will be well aware of the problems within the council and the need to change the 'mindset' and 'culture' that the former director warned of.   

Moving on - is how Gwynedd council treat Freedom of Information requests under the FOI Act 2000 still a concern? The council has recently claimed its requested review from the Information Commissioner's Office was marked as 'reasonable' by the ICO. 

The council appear reluctant to answer certain FOI's especially with regard to Neil Foden, the disgraced head teacher who abused children and staff at Ysgol Friars and possibly other schools.
What happened to 'leave no stone unturned?'

Some FOI requests received by the council can be viewed here - 
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/gwynedd_council  

Not all FOI requests are listed on the site as the council can be approached directly.

Requests for information from cyngor Gwynedd have been a cause for concern for some time now. It has created reports in spite of the evidence, ignored 'advice' from the ICO to release information and also reported that its data redaction software can destroy information.

Information is also collected by the council under GDPR. Its website collects data and sets cookies. 
To download the council's webcasts now require extra cookies to be placed on a person's computer. One site has flagged Gwynedd's compliance with  GDPR, ePR as high risk - 

It is likely that the council is compliant with law but, should this flag be of concern...?

In other news, the Jan Pickles Child Practice Review will soon be completed.
Cyngor Gwynedd's Education and Economy Scrutiny committee report into Neil Foden is also expected in September. 
When will the Woods report be released?

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council... 

 

 

 

 

 

Criteria For Derwen - Cyngor Gwynedd Council's Service For Disabled Children...

The admission by one of cyngor Gwynedd's interim heads of the children and families department that their reporting is not 'completely accurate' comes as no surprise. There have been questions to the integrity of the council's reports going back many years...

One early example is the Annual Report on the handling of complaints by Adult, Health and Well-being Department and the Children and Family Support Department for 2015-2016, written by the former workforce support manager. 
That report can be found here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/documents/s7887/Adroddiad%20Blynyddol%202015-16%20Sterfynol.pdf

The officer had personally led at least one of the investigations highlighted in her report which has been publicly called out as a whitewash. 

A Stage 2 complaint was raised. The investigator asked the customer care/complaint officers who the senior complaints manager was? Nobody knew...
Dafydd Paul, the council's senior safeguarding officer, then became active in the role from 2018. 

One recommendation from the Lost In Care report states - Every social services authority should be required to appoint an appropriately qualified or experienced children's complaints officer.

Since then, concerns to the integrity of the SS complaints handling reports have been raised with the council's democratic service, scrutiny committees, councillors and even cabinet members - all ignored. 
A question to possible data manipulation has also been ignored...

Cyngor Gwynedd has also had issues with completing recommendations for improvement and has been caught misleading government agencies in the past. A reminder that an investigation by the agencies will cease if a local authority accepts the recommendations...

Councillor Gwynfor Owen has recently raised questions of the criteria used to access Derwen, Gwynedd's service for disabled children. It is presumed the councillor was not content with the officer's response. Nor should he be. The 'criteria' has been called out as unlawful and discriminatory in the past. 

Pre pandemic, the PSOW made recommendations - agreed to by the council that - 
70. The Council should review its Derwen policy to ensure its criteria aligns with the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 and the Equality Act 2010’s definition of ‘disability’, and ensure staff are informed about any changes (within three months). 

In 2020, the Ombudsman wrote of its expectations of the council re its Derwen policy -

In spite of the further (and immediate) reviews supposedly undertaken by cyngor Gwynedd, the Hugh Morgan OBE report also recommends  - 

 

The Hugh Morgan report begins -
 

His full report can be found here - 
https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2021/04/finally-gwynedd-councils-autism-report.html 

Hugh Morgan, also recommends staff training in ASD, but according to information given to the PSOW by Gwynedd council this training has already been completed as a recommendation from a previous investigation. 

The Ombudsman for Wales recommendations from an investigation in 2018 include - 

Have councillors had sight of any of the various reviews mentioned?

The Ombudsman's office has been provided clear evidence of wrong doing by senior officers - not investigated. It has also apologised for the failings of one of its officers and the former PSOW had to personally apologise to one family for failings in another investigation after an independent review.

The former children's commissioner, Sally Holland, also did not properly engage when concerns with children's social workers were raised with her office, in 2016. However, her office did comment on the council's criteria -
The Commissioner and our policy officers are aware of the criteria issue and this information will inform their ongoing work with Welsh Government. 

Professor Holland is now chair of Gwynedd's response plan programme board set up after the sexual abuse of children by Neil Foden and the failings of senior officers to hold him to account. Holland recently updated the council's cabinet members and that webcast can be found here - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/999635

In other news, the ICO has concluded a review into the council's handling of FOI requests. Gwynedd council are stating that it has been ranked 'reasonable'. Some FOI requestors would disagree. Has any councillor sighted the review from the ICO?

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...