Child Sex Abuse - Neil Foden - Cyngor Gwynedd...

Neil Foden, has been found guilty of sexual offences against children.
The Headmaster of Ysgol Friars in Bangor, Gwynedd was also Strategic Head at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, in Penygroes. It is presumed that Foden's considerable salary has still been paid by Gwynedd council since his arrest in September, last year.

Could Foden have been stopped...?

The trial heard evidence from Garem Jackson, former Head of Education at cyngor Gwynedd, that concerns were raised about Foden in 2019. The concerns raised by another senior teacher were not acted upon and instead Garem Jackson was advised to have a chat with Foden about the issues raised. Jackson outed the whistleblower to Foden during the subsequent telephone conversation.
https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2024-04-30/authorities-failed-to-investigate-former-accused-headteacher-over-concerns

Garem Jackson was advised by (presumably?) the senior safeguarding officer for children at Gwynedd council and while Jackson made no record of the concerns raised, surely this safeguarding officer would have done...?

The children's safeguarding officer wears many hats at the council. For several years, he has held the position of senior safeguarding and quality officer for children's SS and is also the department's senior complaints officer. The two roles are not compatible and concerns have been raised with regard to his 'independence' during complaint investigations.

He is also a registered social worker, the register until recently showing 'Gwynedd' to be this officer's 'county of work address/county of study'. For some reason this is now not the case and instead the register states 'not applicable' under this heading. 

Foden - How could this happen? 
"You were a powerful figure, you thought you could just do as you liked," Judge Rowlands added.
He said it was worrying that when concerns were first raised to Gwynedd county council about Foden in 2019 by a senior member of staff, "they were dismissed out of hand, no investigation took place, no note was taken of what was said or done, and now we know you continued to offend".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce43313v37eo

The culture of cover up by senior officers at Gwynedd council has been well documented in previous posts. Both Garem Jackson and the senior safeguarding officer have refused to answer questions from scrutiny members in the past - along with the former cabinet member for children.
How has this been allowed?

People who do speak out have been smeared by senior officers and ignored by local councillors. From cabinet members through to scrutiny committee members - complicit in the toxic culture that has been allowed to continue to cover for incompetence and protect reputational damage...

What happens next...?
A council spokeswoman said -
Due to the serious nature of the case, arrangements are being made to carry out an independent review in accordance with national Child Practice Review guidelines.
The exact form of the review is currently being determined.

With cyngor Gwynedd being found, by the Ombudsman for Wales, to have interfered in a past 'independent' investigation and other independent investigations delayed for years, how can the public have confidence that any review into such serious matters will be any different? Will cyngor Gwynedd engage in an open, honest and transparent manner...?

Better a proper public inquiry with the power to call witnesses...
Those witnesses should include the former CEO, Dilwyn Williams and the former Director of SS, Morwena Edwards. Both were in post in 2019 with ultimate responsibility for the actions of officers.

A reminder that both left the council just as the final investigation report into the two teachers suspended for 9 years was to be released. There has still been no official statement from the council nor details of the cost to the public purse. This case would also have involved the safeguarding officers and the former Head of Education...

Questions also need to be asked of the school Governors. Did they not notice Foden's behaviour? Were concerns raised with them...?

And what of the two historic complaints that were recently revealed in the delayed 2022/23 SS complaint handling report...?

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

Wales Audit Recognise Cyngor Gwynedd Council - For What?

Cyngor Gwynedd council held a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 28th, June, 2022 - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/679724

One Councillor spoke of his experiences on social media and that people think the council live in ivory towers, do bugger all and collect bonuses for everything. He spoke of the council's plans for the future outlined in the agenda and made a plea to the new CEO, Dafydd Gibbard, to ensure they were carried through...

He referenced paragraph 5 of Mr Gibbard's statement in an attempt to rebuff criticism on Facebook -
The full statement and meeting agenda can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/documents/g4693/Public%20reports%20pack%2028th-Jun-2022%2013.00%20The%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10

Can we have a factcheck, please?

The new CEO has only been in post for a year and may not have read all the reports relating to past performance and failures of this council - but 'recognised as performing excellently...'
By whom? Which departments?

Certainly not the Children and Families department which has been undertaking 'fake assessments' on disabled children - their complaints process manipulated to shut down complaints - interference in 'independent' investigations and behavior by senior officer's which 'outraged' even the Ombudsman.
On training staff, the former Cabinet Member for Children, Dilwyn Morgan, warned in November, 2021 - "it would frighten you how few members of staff undertake these trainings..."

Nor the Adult SS, which Dilwyn Morgan now has responsibility for, with recent Ombudsman investigations highlighting serious failings in this department, too. Have all the recommendations arising from the investigations been carried out yet? A reminder to the Member to seek robust evidence of compliance not just an officer's word...

It is a concern that neither the Children's nor Adult SS departments have allowed proper scrutiny of their Annual Complaints Reports since 2019. Three years with no proper scrutiny - a pandemic - and the Director with ultimate responsibility for both departments now leaving the council.

Mr Gibbard mentions 'recognition' from the Wales Audit Office - for what? A Wales Audit Office report from January, 2022 into Gwynedd council can be found here -
https://www.audit.wales/sites/default/files/publications/gwynedd_performance.pdf

From the report -

There is more....The report is not positive.

The CEO gives Care Inspectorate Wales a mention, too. The CIW's time would be better spent ensuring its past recommendations for improvement have been fully complied with. Gwynedd council have a history of not carrying through with agreements made...

And Estyn and local education...There is still the issue of Headteacher, Neil Foden, who claimed the council threw him under a bus during the school meals fiasco. The Education officer failed to answer a Committee and a public update regarding the video of the headteacher appearing to have a pupil by the neck is also outstanding. 

Perhaps, Beca Brown, the new Cabinet Member for Education, could give an update?

In the past year, the council has now lost its two most senior Executive officer's.

Just over a year ago, an investigation report was completed and presented to the council - has it been released?

In other news, the Information Commissioner is currently 'advising' the council to release information first asked for in 2020 and on the subject of data law - how long does an internal review of an FOI request take nowadays?
Openness and transparency...

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...