Just Another Annus Horribilis - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

2025 was yet another Annus Horribilis for cyngor Gwynedd...

Jan Pickles had began her extended CPR whilst the children's SS was avoiding proper scrutiny of this complaint - 

  

Sshh...
Two complaints about the education department were also not properly scrutinised. The cabinet member did not offer an explanation to the complaint about the assessment and skipped the meeting where the lack of response to a safeguarding concern was presented. 

 

School absences remained high with 1 in 10 children often not in attendance. Many of these children will have ALN and should be receiving support from ADYaCh. There is little support from the organisation and few schools cope so the number of expulsions rose across the county.

Supporting adults - or not...
Cyngor Gwynedd closed the day care services in Y Ganolfan, in Blaenau Ffestiniog and Encil y Coed, in Cricieth. These closures come on top of the day centres that have already closed in Bala, Porthmadog and Caernarfon. 

Whilst some residents were already having to travel out of area for services that Aled Davies, the former head of adults could not guarantee in future, Dilwyn Morgan and members voted for the closures. Meanwhile -  

'I had no help after my husband got dementia'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgyz3ez7ddo

There is no support and not for a lack of funding but a lack of carers.
Unpaid carers are not supported by the council either...

No english, no poor, no dogs..?
This year, Gwynedd's planning committee should have received more attention than it has.
Social housing is not welcomed by many members and applications are being refused contrary to their own planning policies. Warnings that schools may close due to a lack of numbers have been ignored...

Whistleblowing...
Then there was Gwynedd's audit on whistleblowing, undertaken by Luned Fon Jones. It does not make for good reading with 81 staff (who responded) saying they would NOT blow the whistle on something that is –
‘unlawful, fraudulent or corrupt‘
nor the –
‘sexual, physical or emotional abuse of clients‘

 

It is obvious that these staff have little faith in the management within the council...

Aled Davies, head of the adults SS then left his post.
Mari Wynne Jones, is the new post holder...

Cyngor Gwynedd then sacked an officer who they had suspended on full pay for 9 years.
The officer then took his case to an Employment Tribunal - 



Before the case could be heard in court, the council re-employed the officer...

Canolfan Brynffynnon
Two other officers also suspended for 9 years received redundacy packages.
Was a gagging order imposed?

The Genevieve Woods report was completed...
This led to to Marian Parry Hughes, the head of children's SS and Assistant Head safeguarding and quality officer, Dafydd Paul, being 'absent from work' since last spring. 

Have then these two registered social workers broken the Code of professional practice for social care ? 
And if so, has the council themselves referred these two officers to Social Care Wales? 

Code of Practice for Social Care Employers 
Section 5
Promote the Code of Professional Practice for Social Care and co-operate with Social Care
Wales’ proceedings

5.5 Take account of the Code of Professional Practice for Social Care when making any decision that relates to a worker’s fitness to practise.

5.6 Follow guidance on how to make a referral to us about a worker whose fitness to practise may be
impaired and, if appropriate, tell the worker a referral has been made.
https://socialcare.wales/cms-assets/documents/Employers-code.pdf

Gwynedd's CEO, Dafydd Gibbard, has not yet published the Woods report and is in possession of other reports that may be critical of the same officers and their role in the farce of Canolfan Brynffynnon. 
What was the 'new information' that stopped the criminal trial in 2016?

A full and independent review of the children's SS department and how it has operated over the years is needed...

Geraint Owen, retired as corporate director - Catrin Thomas has replaced him.

Morfa Bychan...
Last year, the council opened a children's home in Morfa Bychan. The home has still not been registered and should be considered unlawful. One councillor recently asked why registration was taking so long? 
Menna Trenholme, the cabinet member for children, appeared to blame Care Inspectorate Wales.

The CIW may not be comfortable endorsing any 'responsible individual' from Gwynedd council and who could blame them?  

Cyngor Gwynedd are now buying homes for foster carers to live in.
One of the final acts of Iwan Huws, former councillor for Bethel and Y Felinheli, was to sign off on the purchase of a house in the local area. 

Smallholdings...
Cyngor Gwynedd have released £2.1 million to pay for improvements to their smallholdings.
This money has come from the council tax premium which was meant to help the housing crisis. 

Are schools safe...?
One recent meeting heard reports of local school in Tywyn having to lockdown because of a pupil with a knife. In a separate incident, a taxi driver, who worked on the school run has been arrested. 

The chair of the committee tried to shut down the councillor who raised these concerns...

The year ended with councillors calling for the the council to be put in special measures and calls for a public inquiry... 

One councillor has asked for an extraordinary meeting of the full council to be held in the new year.
The director of SS spoke in support of this action.
It is not clear if the council will grant the request...

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...

 

Does 'Absent From Work' Mean Suspended? - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

The publication of the Jan Pickles review, first due in spring, then late spring has been delayed again and is now expected in September...
https://www.northwalessafeguardingboard.wales/gwynedd-child-practice-review/

Cyngor Gwynedd has still not published the Genevieve Woods report received in March.
The barrister was commissioned by the council to investigate the council's handling of matters relating to  paedophile Neil Foden in 2019. A teacher from Ysgol Friars blew the whistle to Garem Jackson, former head of education at the council, who then sought the advice of a council safeguarding officer.

From the BBC -
Top officials at council which employed paedophile head 'absent from work'
An email sent to Gwynedd councillors by the authority's chief executive stated there were arrangements in place to lead its children and family support department while the head and deputy head are absent...

It goes on to add -
BBC Wales understands four members of staff were part of the decision not to investigate at the time, and a BBC Wales Investigates programme into the case revealed three of those were still employed by the council.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15nzl058z1o

The head of children and families is Marian Parry Hughes but who is the deputy head?

According to a recent FOI response, the children's SS department does not have a deputy head but names three assistant heads -
Aled Gibbard, Sharron Williams Carter and Dafydd Paul.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/structure_chart_social_services_7/response/2917001/attach/html/5/Children%20Department%20Organisational%20Chart%202024.pdf.html

Two of the three assistant heads, Aled Gibbard and Sharron Williams Carter, have been given temporary leadership of the Children and Families Department under the guidance of the director of SS, Dylan Owen.

Does 'absent from work' mean suspended and what of the fourth officer?

Last year, Dafydd Gibbard, CEO of cyngor Gwynedd commissioned a report into the county's looked after children. When will that report be made public?

It is presumed this action was in response to the revelation by Dylan Owen, the director of SS, of one child costing £25K a week and another child living in a caravan...

Were any of Neil Foden's victims children that were in the care of the council?
Do the historic complaints from 2014, that the children's SS department reported last year, involve looked after children?

In other news, Aled Davies, the head of Gwynedd Adults SS department will leave his post in July when Mari Wynne Jones will take up the role. Jones is a social worker and has worked for the council for 25 years...

Something is still very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - Head Of Adults SS To Leave Post?

Cyngor Gwynedd council held a Care Scrutiny Committee on the 3rd April, 2025.
The agenda pack can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5191/Public%20reports%20pack%2003rd-Apr-2025%2010.30%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

The meeting began with councillor Gwynfor Owen expressing his frustration at having to declare an interest on the progress report of the Gwynedd Mental Health Service, agenda item 6, and the report on the Autism Team's Work Programme, item 7. 

Owen has lived experience and in the past this same committee has welcomed his knowledge. Not this time. The chair, Beth Lawton, said she understood the councillor's frustration and thanked him. This meant Owen had to leave the meeting during the discussion on both reports. Later in the meeting, Lawton also stopped another councillor from discussing the report.

Why are councillors not allowed to debate some reports?
Owen recently made a complaint against Gwynedd SS and has expressed his discontent with the investigation. The Ombudsman for Wales did not take up the councillor's complaint. The PSOW has been criticised for its failure to deal with Gwynedd council SS departments under the last administration.

Councillor Jones-Williams then declared an interest in the Housing Action Plan progress report but was adamant he would not be leaving the meeting as it is just a report, he said.

The Housing Action Plan, authored by Carys Fôn Williams, Head of Housing and Property, was discussed. The presenting officer was unable to answer some concerns raised. The report mentions Gwynedd council's intention to use £2.1 million from the Council Tax Premium to improve the council owned smallholdings. This to be confirmed at the next Cabinet meeting.

Legal counsel is being sought with regard to the letting of property and the 'linguistic element'.
Welsh speakers only...?

In typical Ffordd Gwynedd fashion, the committee voted to accept a report that could and perhaps should have been deferred until improved.

The Gwynedd Mental Health Service report, authored by Mannon Emyr Trappe, is staff focussed.
Her report states - 
Staff satisfaction -
It is quite clear that the remodelling of the service has improved the staff's well-being.
Here are some comments by members of the service –
"feel part of the Council"
"the person comes first instead of the process"
"I get to be a Social Worker"
"practice focuses on the strengths of the individual rather than what we are able to offer"

During the discussion, Trappe did acknowledge that the service was open to those receiving a service from the council. She added that the number of carers assessments undertaken are low and said that the social service assessments focus on the strengths of the individual. A reminder that without a successful assessment there are no services.

Aled Davies, the Head of Adults SS, was also involved in the discussion. Gwynedd council are currently advertising for a new Head of Adults Service but Davies made no mention of this -

We are looking to recruit a Head of Adults Department who will play a key role in leading and realising the Council's vision for the County's Social Services for Adults. ... Jobs Events Opinion ... Cyngor Gwynedd. Salary: £81,860 - £90,274 a year. Closing Date: 31/03/2025 (17 days)

The Progress Report On the Autism Team's Work Programme is authored by Aled Gibbard, Assistant Head of Service, Children and Family Support Department. His writes positively but the reality is that there is still no support for children and adults who fall between the cracks. It has been said that the team is simply another signposting service and that support for autistic children is also lacking in schools.

Where were officers from the Education department?
How do they support children in schools?
How many children requiring support have been excluded or absent because of no support?

The long standing problems within schools affect not only children with ALN.
Claims of bullying and harassment not dealt with properly have been heard for years. Teachers are unhappy and the sickness levels are high.  Not forgetting Ysgol Friars and Neil Foden..
.
There has been an increase in allegations against those in a position of trust.

In other news, a member of staff suspended for many years has now been reinstated by Gwynedd council.
Will there now be a review into the actions of the safeguarding officers involved in the suspension?

The webcast of the scrutiny meeting can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/976260/start_time/87000

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

 

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - Rumours Of Organisational Corruption...?

After 5 years of not presenting any social services complaints handling report to cyngor Gwynedd council's care scrutiny committee, the SS departments now drop two in a matter of months...

The children's annual report does not contain an update on the historic complaint mentioned in the 2022/23 report, presented earlier this year. Is this because of the action being taken against the council with regard to Neil Foden? Or does it concern Canolfan Brynffynnon?

A reminder that the council received a report into the pru case just as the former director of SS quit the council.

The 2023/24 complaints report is authored by Marian Parry Hughes – Head of Children and Supporting Families Department and Aled Davies – Head of Adults, Health and Well-being Department. It is defensive and gives little detail to the nature of the complaints.
An example -

Not one councillor asked about this...

Pre pandemic, there was maladministration in the council's dealings with disabled people and their families - on several occasions. The complaints handling officers came in for much criticism during some investigations...

Past complainants have spoken of being gaslit and smeared by officers when raising a complaint and that senior officers created a false narrative and colluded in cover up when challenged. 

The heads of service continue to blame people...
 


'Rumours of organisational corruption..?'

Deny, attack, reverse victim/offender...

The heads of service also mention -

Fact check...?
The heads of service know better than anyone that the Ombudsman granted Gwynedd council 'variances' to PSOW recommendations after investigations had ended.

After its dealings with cyngor Gwynedd, the PSOW now requires robust evidence of compliance before signing off and closing cases. So has the PSOW closed the case and which one are the officers referring to? There are several...

Investigations often uncover issues with law, policies and behaviours and the recommendations for improvement are meant to rectify failings. 

Why the PSOW allowed the CEO to water down these improvements is not known...

For what its worth, the report can be found in the agenda pack here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5188/Public%20reports%20pack%2026th-Sep-2024%2010.30%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

The webcast of the care scrutiny committee held on Thursday, 26th September, 2024 - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/915151

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...