Cyngor Gwynedd CSA - 'Lack Of Serious Purpose Or Value...'

Does cyngor Gwynedd's response to FOI requests show a lack of knowledge of law?

Browsing through FOI's received via the Whatdotheyknow website it appears so...
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/gwynedd_council 

First on the list at this time is a FOI from a requestor who gives an initial and surname.
Elain Roberts (ar ran Tîm Rhyddid Gwybodaeth // on behlaf (sic) of the Freedom of Information team) responds with -

Requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) must include the name of the applicant. For a request to be valid, we need to be able to ascertain the real name of the requester or company name.
In this case, you have not provided any . Your first initial is not sufficient to identify you by itself.
This being the case, your request is currently not valid under the FOIA... 

This is not correct...

According to the ICO -
Recognising a request made under the Freedom of Information Act (section 8)

More from the ICO - 
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/foi/freedom-of-information-and-environmental-information-regulations/recognising-a-request-made-under-the-freedom-of-information-act-section-8/

The second in the list is also asked by a requestor who uses an initial and their surname.
But this request is accepted by Elain Roberts and is partially successful.
Why the inconsistency?

Another FOI that raises an eyebrow is -
Employment status and roles of Dafydd Paul and Marion Parry Hughes
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/employment_status_and_roles_of_d#incoming-3350474

After an acknowledgment from the 'Freedom of Information team', the requestor then asks -
For clarity, I request that all correspondence and any substantive response to this Freedom of Information request is provided via the WhatDoTheyKnow platform, in order to maintain a complete public record of the request and response.

Has cyngor Gwynedd responded to this requestor off platform before?

The request was then refused by Lisa Williams of corporate services - 
The Council has determined that your requests fall within section 14(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as vexatious. This decision was made based on the pattern, frequency and nature of your requests and correspondance.

An internal review was asked for and was responded to by Nia Grisdale, legal services manager.
Grisdale states -
Review Outcome
After thorough assessment, I have concluded that the original decision was correct. Section 14(1) allows a public authority to refuse a request if it is likely to cause a disproportionate or unjustified level of disruption, irritation, or distress, without a reasonable public interest justification.

In reaching this conclusion, the following was considered:
• The burden on resources: The request, when viewed in the context of previous correspondence, would require significant and disproportionate time and effort to process.

• The tone and nature of communications: The cumulative effect of the language and frequency of requests has created an unreasonable level of disruption to our ability to carry out core functions.

• Lack of serious purpose or value: I found no new or substantive public interest in the information sought that would outweigh the impact on our resources.

Grisdale's argument is weak considering that the officers are still 'absent from work' after failing children in the Neil Foden case. 

Re the burden on resources - this would be a simple task for the HR department.

Also if answering FOI's disrupts the council's ability to carry out core functions then the council is in serious trouble but that is not the fault of this requestor, or any other...

Grisdale's third point that she finds 'no new or substantive public interest in the information sought that would outweigh the impact on our resources' is under the circumstances shocking.

Why would the legal services manager say such a thing?
There is an obvious public interest in information relating to senior officer's failings that meant that a number of children continued to be sexually and physically abused over a number of years.

Senior officers are not exempt from legitimate scrutiny, especially after serious safeguarding failures. 

Something is so very, very wrong within Gwynedd council...

 

 

Outdated Laws, Canolfan Brynffynnon And An Interim Head Of SS - Cyngor Gwynedd.

In April, 2019, after a whistleblower raised concerns re Neil Foden, the head of children and families SS sent an email to Gwynedd's LADO requesting a meeting -
'Mater Diogelu Brys- Cyfrinachol’ (Urgent Safeguarding matter – Confidential)
 
But with a senior officer of cyngor Gwynedd's legal team present, the safeguarding meeting became one of a 'professional issue' only.
Who made the decision to ignore the safety of children - and why?

Is the answer to be found in the Canolfan Brynffynnon affair?

In 2016, the trial of two staff members at the pupil referral unit (PRU) in Felinheli, was halted after the CPS received new information...

In September, 2016, councillors of the services scrutiny committee did mention Brynffynnon when discussing the report -
GWYNEDD COUNCIL PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW 2015-16 -
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND CARE
Cabinet Members: Cllrs. Mair Rowlands, Gareth Roberts, Gareth Thomas

The agenda pack for that meeting can be found here -  
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/documents/g1706/Public%20reports%20pack%2027th-Sep-2016%2010.00%20Services%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10 

A wall of silence...
No statement has been made by cyngor Gwynedd in a case that led to three staff members being suspended on full pay for approx 9 years. 
The council did not answer a FOI request on the length of suspensions and the monitoring officer ignored the request for an internal review.

The council also paid NWP £800,000 after the collapse of the trial...

Sshhh...
Why has no councillor called for an investigation..? 

It is believed Marian Parry Hughes and Dafydd Paul were the senior officers at this time. 
Who interviewed the children? 
Who gathered their evidence? 

Who else would have known?
Dilwyn Williams, who was then ceo of cyngor Gwynedd?
The director of SS at that time, Morwena Edwards?
Dyfed Edwards, who was the then leader of the council - and is now chair of BCUHB?
The monitoring officer?

In 2022, a final investigation report into Canolfan Brynffynnon, was received by the council.
Shortly after, Morwena Edwards, left her position.

The previous year, notable departures from the council included the ceo, along with the head of finance and a senior officer from the legal department. 

Once bitten twice shy... 
Were mistakes made in the handling of the Brynffynnon case possibly instrumental in officers failing to take action in regard to Neil Foden?

Evidence appears to have been an issue in both cases in one way or another - that, and the assessment of risk and thresholds. 

Paul was also senior complaints officer for the children's SS when officers raised a complaint on behalf of a resident - without the resident's knowledge - so the council could 'investigate' a data breach that had already been investigated and upheld by an independent investigator. 

This led to the manager of the Gwynedd information team producing a report that then vindicated the children's department. It was only after a second meeting with the manager that her report acknowledged the data breach of children's information. It took Parry three attempts before she finally took note of the evidence...

Both Hughes and Paul have been 'absent from work' for the last year after the council received a report by the barrister, Genevieve Woods, who investigated their roles in the Neil Foden case. (This report has still not been published)

It is well known that abuse continues when a system rewards silence and cover up...

In other news -  
Essie Ahari, former chair of governors at Ysgol Friars, has retired from north Wales police.

Cyngor Gwynedd are to appoint a new interim head of the children's SS.
The position advertised internally was needed as - 
'...a responsible and accountable Head was needed to lead; with the appointment of an interim Head, this
would allow for other vacancies within the Department to be filled retrospectively and the establishment of a robust structure for the service''

This would have been ratified at the chief officers appointment committee on March, 25th.
Cyngor Gwynedd have not yet announced their decision.
Only one application was received.
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5693/Public%20reports%20pack%2025th-Mar-2026%2010.00%20Chief%20Officers%20Appointments%20Committee.pdf?T=10

Legislation and Law not updated in 16 years...
Cyngor Gwynedd's Private Rented Sector Housing Enforcement Policy is to be updated as it was revealed that the original policy created in 2010 is still in use - despite much new legislation coming into force over the last 16 years including for HMO's...

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...