Cyngor Gwynedd's Director Of SS Annual Report Blames Facebook For Poor Staff Well Being...

Cyngor Gwynedd's director of SS has published his Annual Report. 
Huw Dylan Owen uses a generic template and names it the Social Services Annual Report.

Mention of audits and reviews of the department can be found under the section 'Further Information' at the end of the report - but no links to Care Inspectorate Wales reports are included.  

It is to be presented to the full Council meeting to be held on the 2nd July, 2026 - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/s50720/Item%209%20-%20Appendix%201%20-%20Social%20Services%20Report%2025-26.pdf

Owen begins with an apology - 
This year has been one of the toughest that Cyngor Gwynedd has faced in its 30-year history. Social services, and in particular the Children’s Services, have been through a period of significant challenge and change, following serious failures in the service and the Our Bravery Brought Justice Child Practice Review, which highlighted weaknesses in safeguarding.
There has been a major change in leadership across adult and children’s services. It is important to recognise that people have suffered and have been seriously hurt, and on behalf of Cyngor Gwynedd, I apologise. 

You had one job...
There were no weaknesses in safeguarding.
Neil Foden was able to abuse because those that should have stopped him failed - miserably...

The rest of his report is bloated, lacks clarity and appears to confuse mere activity with little regard to the outcomes for people. The traffic light system also appears to be misused, giving a green light to one project that no longer exists.

On page 40 under the section Mental Health Service - 
How can we do things better?
There are some situations where individuals with complex needs fall between services, leading to delays and discussions about responsibility for their care. This includes cases such as autistic individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria for learning disability services, young people transitioning into adult services...

Why on earth has Owen mentioned autistic people under mental health? 
Since when has autism been a mental health condition? 

Of even more concern is what he says about autistic individuals without a learning disability, that they continue to be failed and are still 'falling through the cracks'

The Autism team was created after a complaint to the PSOW and the council then commissioned a review of autism services by Hugh Morgan OBE. This was meant to find ways to support autistic children and adults - without a learning disability - this same review also recommended that a transition social worker be employed with immediate effect, this the Ombudsman was told by the council was being implemented in October 2020.

Correspondence from the PSOW, Nick Bennett, from October 2020 - (personal information removed)

 

What happened? Nearly six years down the line these failings still exist, how on earth has nothing changed for this cohort of people, even after the 'promises' made by senior officers from the CEO, through the legal team to department heads and their senior managers...

                                                         *******************                                      

There is no update on the officers 'absent from work' nor the potential £250,000 their wages has cost the children's department so far. Both social workers are still registered as working/studying in the county of Gwynedd...

Registered Persons

Forename(s)	Surname	County of work address/ County of study	Registration Number
Dafydd	Paul	Gwynedd	W/1059093
Dafydd	Paul	Gwynedd	W/1059093

Showing 1 to 2 of 2 rows 

 

Registered Persons

Forename(s)	Surname	County of work address/ County of study	Registration Number
Marian Parry	Hughes	Gwynedd	W/1056715

Showing 1 to 1 of 1 rows

 

Is there not an obligation on the part of the council to report employees to their professional body under certain circumstances? If things are bad enough that employees are made 'absent from work' for over a year now, one would expect that the two employees 'absent from work' should have been referred to Social Care Wales? 

 

These two officers ran a department that not only failed children but ignored law, policies and procedures and parent blamed and smeared those who tried to raise concerns - over many years. 
                                                                 
                                                                ***************

Deflect...
Owen also fails to mention that Jan Pickles undertook an EXTENDED Child Practice Review. 
This type of review is only undertaken when a child was on the child protection register or was a looked after child (or care leaver under 18) at any point in the 6 months before the incident.

Deny...
The director is surely old enough to remember the North Wales Child Abuse scandal. 
This happened in the former county council areas of Gwynedd and Clwyd and involved the sexual and physical abuse of children in the councils 'care' homes. 

A reminder that Gwynedd County council sacked the social worker who blew the whistle... 

The following page gives more detail of the statutory investigation chaired by Sir Ronald Waterhouse and links to the Lost in Care report published in 2000, the Macur Review from 2012 and details of Operation Pallial set up in 2012 - 
https://www.inquestsandinquiries.com/projects/waterhouse 

Delay...
Owen also fails to make mention of Canolfan Brynffynnon.
The director may claim that the showing of the TV documentary into the PRU came too late to be included in his annual report, but Owen must know the council has been paying compensation to former pupils since 2019. 

Who did know and when..?
The PRU was mentioned by councillors in a services scrutiny committee in 2016. 
There must have been other discussions in closed forums and meetings behind closed doors with the cabinet and the Plaid group, in particular. What of the other councillors?

A reminder that Morwena Edwards, the former director of SS, quit her post shortly after a final report into the PRU was received in 2022. 

Workforce well being...
Cliques within cliques and a toxic culture of nepotism, cronyism and bullying has meant that staff have been leaving in droves, most notable since the pandemic.

Remembering that Owen started with an apology he then goes on the attack...
On page 9 - 

 

The director's duplication of his sentence in the first paragraph is sloppy and it suggests a sentence may be missing.

So what 'measures' is Owen referring to?
What specific policy?
What reporting processes?

Read the room...
Social media gives the public a platform to discuss and raise issues that affect their local communities. 
The failings of social workers and departments that Owen is now ultimately responsible for has caused pain and trauma and has ruined lives. The financial cost to the public purse will also be considerable.
People are angry and understandably so.

Social media also allows former and present employees of the council, and other organisations, a safe space to raise concerns in small groups or even anonymously.

No safe places...
Has there been directed surveillance of social media by cyngor Gwynedd? 
While the occasional viewing of public posts is considered acceptable, the recording and repeated or targeted monitoring of individuals or groups is not and could be considered unlawful under RIPA.

Learn lessons from Bristol...
Bristol council has recently been caught spying on a local parents SEND group.
The lack of trust with the council's officers will take years to mend - if ever.

Has cyngor Gwynedd infiltrated or monitored parent groups in the county?
What of campaign groups such as those opposed to Article 4?
Is the council monitoring councillors accounts?

A public inquiry into Neil Foden AND this council's failings is needed. 
Release the Canolfan Brynffynnon files.
Publish the Woods report.

Something is so 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...

 

 

 

 

 

Did Estyn And Care Inspectorate Wales Get It Wrong? Cyngor Gwynedd Council...

In 2017, Ysgol Friars underwent an inspection by Estyn - 
https://estyn.gov.wales/system/files/2020-08/Ysgol%2520Friars.pdf

In June, 2023, Estyn undertook an inspection of education services in cyngor Gwynedd -
https://www.estyn.gov.wales/system/files/?file=2023-09/Inspection%20report%20Cyngor%20Gwynedd%202023_0.pdf

 

It's not my fault...  
But cyngor Gwynedd did not have an effective digital strategy at this time. 
Geraint Owen, the former corporate director, was responsible for the strategy and had to defend himself at one council meeting for not creating the strategy...!

Estyn's analysis of the safeguarding arrangements within cyngor Gwynedd was completely wrong...

How did Estyn get it so wrong..? 
Questions remain as to Estyn's diligence and methods of scrutiny.

Some clues can be found in another report dated September 2023, co-produced by Estyn, Health Inspectorate Wales and Care Inspectorate Wales after the death of Child T, from Bridgend.
Rapid review of child protection arrangements


The full report can be found here - 
https://www.careinspectorate.wales/sites/default/files/2023-09/230928-Rapid-review-of-child-protection-arangements-en.pdf

On page 15 -


The effective child protection model incorporating the Risk Model, utilised by cyngor Gwynedd, was created by Dafydd Paul, the senior safeguarding and quality officer for the council.

In March, 2022, a project evaluation of the ECP was undertaken by Bruce Thornton,  a consultant and trainer in social care. His report can be found here - 
https://www.effectivechildprotection.wales/sites/default/files/Effective%20Child%20Protection%20Project%20Evaluation_%20Full%20Report.pdf

Thornton writes - 
I was asked to examine whether child protection in Gwynedd is more effective as a consequence of adopting the Effective Child Protection model?
The unequivocal answer to that question is ‘Yes’

Obviously not...

The model focuses on parents needing to change behaviours but appears not to mention the risk of abuse from those in a position of trust/authority. The last child abuse scandal in this area of north Wales involved those in a position of trust/authority over children in care... 

Paul is believed to be 'absent from work' since the Spring of 2025, as is Marian Parry Hughes, the head of children's SS department. Cyngor Gwynedd refuse to confirm the identities of the officers until investigations commissioned by the HR department are complete.
When will that be..?

Have the investigations looked at the role of the senior officer within the legal department who was present at the safeguarding meeting in 2019 re Foden or is it focused solely on the officers within the children's department?  

A reminder that Foden physically abused boys..

It gets worse...
Estyn and Care Inspectorate Wales held a Joint inspection with a focus on safeguarding in Gwynedd Council in November, 2025. That report can be found here - 
https://estyn.gov.wales/app/uploads/2025/12/Safeguarding-inspection-report-Gwynedd-Council-2026.pdf

On page 11 - 



The 'effective child protection' model created by Dafydd Paul - in 2019 - appears to have failed in Gwynedd. 
Estyn and Care Inspectorate Wales chose not to name Paul, simply referring to him as a 'senior leader in the children and families department. For why?

Perhaps this report should be removed out of respect for the children and families involved?

As an evidence base, the investigators included - 
• A meeting with members of the education and social care scrutiny boards.
• Meetings with practitioners, staff, officers, managers, senior officers, elected members, leaders of scrutiny committees (a total of 20 meetings)
• Scrutiny of sample files (24 child safeguarding cases under Section 3 and Section 5 of the Wales Safeguarding Procedures for the period between 1/09/24 and 30/09/25)

Shifting blame...
Sounds great the scrutinising of sample files, some presumably written by the same officers now absent from work? BUT do they give a true representation of the facts? Some officers have history...

Where is the public inquiry?
At the extraordinary council meeting, in February, Dafydd Gibbard stated that he had had a response from the government and that 'we need to share that'.
Gibbard did not share the response at the meeting - so is there to be a public inquiry?

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council... 

 

 

The Culture And Mindset Within Gwynedd Council...

Five years ago, Audit Wales flagged the culture within cyngor Gwynedd as 'destructive'.

 
https://www.wao.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/ffordd_gwynedd.pdf

At the recent extraordinary meeting of the full council, councillors Nia Jeffreys and Olaf Cai Larsen spoke of staff feeling safe to challenge. 
Irony indeed - speaking to a full council meeting where councillors had been 'advised' not to challenge...

The webcast of the meeting can be found here - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/1063308

Larsen, the chair of the Plaid Cymru constituency party and Jeffreys may have missed the council's recent audit on whistleblowing. Staff do not feel safe...

It is not just staff...
People who do raise concerns have been smeared by senior officers and ignored by councillors.  

Actions not words...
Safeguarding, scrutiny and culture are now buzzwords for council officers/members since Neil Foden's arrest in 2023.
The reality is somewhat different...

On April 11th, 2024, the children's department finally released their annual complaints handling report from 2022/23 to the care scrutiny committee. 

Standards...
It was the first time the SS annual complaints reports had come before a scrutiny committee since 2019, after which a complaint was made against a senior officer for misleading the committee. The same officer had refused to answer questions of the care scrutiny committee at a previous meeting. 

The report can be found in the agenda pack here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g4975/Public%20reports%20pack%2011th-Apr-2024%2010.30%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

Page 36 mentions a historic complaint –

The Senior Manager discussed fully with the Senior Complaints Officer as ten years had passed. The social worker did not work here anymore, therefore we would need to rely on records only to investigate the complaint...

Who is the senior manager?
It is believed that Dafydd Paul was the senior complaints officer at this time. 
Did the legal department give advice to the officer's on the matter..?

The Ffordd Gwynedd way...
The PSOW can investigate historic complaints. 
Treating the complaint in this way may have shut down the pathway to the Ombudsman for Wales. 

There was another historic complaint on page 37 – 

The cabinet member for children was silent on the historic complaints and not one councillor of the committee raised concerns. The report was voted through by the committee...
Shameful...

 

The presentation of the 2022/23 report for scrutiny had been long delayed. 
The report - with the historic complaints of safeguarding failures - was finally released to the committee after Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) had completed its review of the council.
 

Would the CIW's report been different if they had known of the historic complaints of failure to listen and safeguard these two individuals ?

  

Playing catch up..?
5 months later, on the 26th, September, 2024, the SS departments presented their annual complaints handling reports for 2023/24 to the care scrutiny committee. The agenda pack for the meeting and the reports can be found here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/documents/g5188/Public%20reports%20pack%2026th-Sep-2024%2010.30%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

The 2023/24 complaints report credits Marian Parry Hughes – Head of Children and Supporting Families Department and Aled Davies – Head of Adults, Health and Well-being Department as the authors.

During the meeting, Dafydd Paul, acting as the senior complaints officer and presenting the report gave the impression that he was the author of the children's report. 
 

Darvo...
Paul, did not update the committee on the investigation that had taken place of the historic abuse from 2013/14 nor did any councillor ask...

Instead, Paul gave a diatribe on how hard it was for the customer care team dealing with 'difficult or tiresome complainants...'

 

Neil Foden used the same tactic of denial and blaming others...

The committee also scrutinised this complaint from the adult's learning disability team - 

Dodgy..?
What was the 'relationship' between the support worker and the service user?
No proper explanation was given nor asked for by councillors.
Councillors passed the reports anyway...

 

3 months later, on the 17th, December, 2024, a cabinet meeting was held.

The 'Complaints and Service Improvement Report Quarter 1-2 2024/25' was presented.
The report can be found in the agenda pack here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/documents/g5260/Public%20reports%20pack%2017th-Dec-2024%2013.00%20The%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10

The contact officer for the report is Ian Jones, Head of Corporate Services.

 

For some reason, a complaint from the children's SS department was included.
Neither Jones nor Menna Trenholme, the cabinet member for children, explained why the report was being presented to the cabinet rather than the care scrutiny committee...

'difficult and tiresome complainants...?
So a complaint to the children's service was brought to the attention of the monitoring officer who had to remind the children and adult's SS customer care/complaint officers of the law when dealing with complaints...

 

Nolan Principles...

The officer's are well aware of the law, procedures and guidelines.
It is a choice to ignore them and infringe on the rights of the residents of Gwynedd.

 

Jones, also included two complaints concerning the education department.
Again, these complaints were not presented to the education/economy scrutiny committee... 

The complaints in question are on page 53 and 54 of Jones' report.
Three serious complaints - one a safeguarding issue -  avoiding proper scrutiny.

Cabinet members should have challenged Jones' report. 
Instead, cabinet members voted to accept the report without real discussion...

 

All this has taken place after Neil Foden's arrest...
Many councillors continue to turn a blind eye...

 

Trauma informed...
For many families, seeking advice and support from Gwynedd's SS departments is traumatic - 
SYSTEMS GENERATED TRAUMA 
How disabled children and their families are traumatised by dysfunctional public services when they ask for support - 
https://cerebra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Systems-Generated-Trauma-Report-web.pdf

  

The Cerebra report is authored by Professor Luke Clements and Dr Ana Laura Aiello.
They give insight to the damage caused to children and families by the very departments that were created to support them...

 

Culture...
Clements is a Professor of Law at Leeds University and has written an article on Gwynedd council - 
‘Omg … will it never end’
https://www.lukeclements.co.uk/omg-will-it-never-end-2/

 

This was in respect of an Ombudsman's investigation under the last administration. He warns - 
 

Grooming...? 
Some councillors and senior officer's have mentioned they were also groomed by Foden.
This is disingenuous...

Cabinet members through to scrutiny committee members – most complicit in the toxic culture that has been allowed to continue to cover for incompetence and protect reputational damage - for years. 

 

A public inquiry is needed.
Has the Children's Commissioner for Wales, Rocío Cifuentes, been approached?

 

When will the monitoring officer give an account of the 'advice' given by a senior officer within the legal department to the safeguarding meeting re Neil Foden in 2019? 

 

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council... 

 

 

 

 

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...

 

Nepotism, Cronyism And Bullying? - Cyngor Gwynedd Council...

Councillor Beca Brown presented a notice of motion re Neil Foden to a full council meeting of cyngor Gwynedd on the 4th December, 2025. The motion can be found in the agenda pack for the meeting - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//mgChooseDocPack.aspx?ID=5505

There were also 6 questions put to the council by elected members. 
One raised by Councillor John Pughe Roberts asked - 

 
The rest of the leader's response along with the other question and answers can be found here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/b15108/ITEM%206%20-%20QUESTIONS%2004th-Dec-2025%2013.30%20The%20Council.pdf?T=9 

John Nicholson, an ex governor at Ysgol Friars between 2013 and 2017, reports that he tried to raise concerns about Neil Foden but was not supported by other members of the board -
“If the maladministration was blatantly evident to me after just a few months of becoming a school governor, it must have been overwhelmingly clear to those members of staff who comprised the senior management team.
https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/25655748.bangor-former-school-governor-reacts-neil-foden-report/

In the same article, Jan Pickles, appears to reply to Nicholson directly - 
“I understand that Foden was a controlling bully to children, staff and governors, and I don’t doubt he behaved that way with staff within the council’s education department.
“However, we are the adults in this situation. If he’s behaving like that with you as a governor, how is behaving with children?  

School governors did fail...
The chair and vice chair during the time of Foden's offending were Essi Ahari and Keith Horton - both serving police officers with North Wales Police. 
Is Pickles saying that experienced, senior police officers were bullied?
Did the officers give evidence to Pickles?

Councillor Richard Medwyn Hughes was also a governor during this time.
Hughes resigned after Foden's arrest but cyngor Gwynedd reinstated him last year.
For why...?

There can be repercussions for those who do raise concerns...
An example from a BBC article dated 2020 -

Gwynedd head teacher Neil Foden 'victimised staff'
"I felt victimised by Neil Foden due to the way he operated. You were either in his gang or you were not," person D told the panel.
He claimed he was never interviewed by school governors and that Mr Foden's daughter had investigated the allegations against him.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51710557 
 
Neil Foden was an abusive bully and used the system to protect himself.
It is part of a culture that appears rife in Gwynedd that includes not just schools and the education department but many departments within the council.

Raising concerns in Gwynedd...
To raise a complaint about a senior officer in Gwynedd can be fraught with danger.
The culture means that complainants have on occasion been gaslit and smeared to others.
Foden used the 'vexatious complainants' approach to shut down complaints.
The children's SS use the term 'tiresome complainants'.

                                                                  ***********
Safeguarding children or safeguarding themselves? 
A reminder that the Pickles review was an 'extended' child practice review.
This means that some of the children were in the care of the local council or recently had been...

A whole team of social workers and their managers were meant to be protecting each child from predators such as Foden. 
All failed the children...
Were any of the kids in foster care?
Were Youth Justice involved?

The head of children's services is still 'absent from work' and Dafydd Paul, their senior safeguarding officer appears to have been replaced by Elliw Haf Hughes.

Leader of the council, Nia Jeffreys, could have explained what is happening within the department. 
She did not...nor did the cabinet member for children, or any of the senior officers present.

One Gwynedd councillor, Richard Glyn Roberts, saw through the mea culpa's -
Given the slowness in dealing with this issue and the lack of clinical focus on the procedural and organisational failures. one asks how we can have confidence in the leadership of the council.

Organisational failures of Gwynedd's senior officers will be detailed in the Woods report.
Councillors could ask Dafydd Gibbard to release this report which he has had in his possession since the Spring.

There was a question from Councillor Gruffydd Williams - 
Following the fact that article 4 has been quashed by Judge Justice Eyre and as a result of what he said, "that there has been significant misleading by the Officers of this Council", will the Council apologise to campaigners who have fought so hard to enforce article 4

Williams was answered by Craig ab Iago, cabinet member for the Enviroment.
The reference to officers misleading councillors was not properly answered...

The webcast of the full council meeting can be found here -
The translated feed is not working...
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/1044728

In other news, the job of Gwynedd's workforce development manager under social care is being advertised. Those interested should contact the current workforce development manager, Gillian Paul.

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...