'Motivated Intruder' - Cyngor Gwynedd Council

Cyngor Gwynedd Education and Economy Scrutiny committee investigation report into safeguarding in schools has been delayed after they forgot to include the voices of the children...

The Woods report has been sat on since March...

Cyngor Gwynedd also appear to be shutting down FOI requests in relation to Neil Foden.
This request was submitted in May, 2024 - 

The council responded with -  You should therefore receive the information you have requested, subject to the application of any exemptions permitted under the Act, by 20/06/2024...

In January, 2025, after an internal review, the monitoring officer, Iwan G D Evans, came back with -

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/neil_foden

Less than 5 'reports' into Neil Foden since 2018/19...
Failing to answer properly and shutting down the rest of the FOI, Evans also introduced the phrase 'motivated intruder' into the dialogue. 

Another example -
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/neil_foden_3

Corporate services, initially refused the request but then had to reopen the case with - 
Following our response to you on the 17th July 2025, it has come to our attention that we failed to include our complaints procedure. 
Please find below our revised response and apologise for this error.

This request was also refused by the monitoring officer after he conducted an internal review.

Moving on to another FOI - also refused by corporate services -
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/what_concerns_were_logged_by_tea

And yet another FOI request regarding Neil Foden -
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/neil_foden_2
And yet another internal review - this time shut down by the head of legal services.

In refusing these requests, cyngor Gwynedd's senior officers make much of the privacy/personal data of the individual, ignoring the fact that senior officers have a much broader public impact (position of trust, policy/decision making, salary/pension).
A reminder that law favours disclosure...

On the 27th, October, 2025, ITV published an article - 
Two men arrested following paedophile headteacher investigation in Wales
Police looking into lines of enquiry related to convicted paedophile headteacher Neil Foden have confirmed that two men were arrested earlier this year.
North Wales Police said both men remain under investigation.It added the arrests followed allegations of “non-recent abuse” by “conducting inappropriate relationships”.
https://www.itv.com/news/2025-10-27/two-men-arrested-following-paedophile-headteacher-investigation-in-wales 

The timing of this release is odd, considering the arrests were made earlier in the year..

In other news - 
Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors is now appealing for former pupils of Gellilydan School in Blaenau Ffestiniog and Thomas Ellis School near Holyhead, or anyone else who can shed any light on this case, to get in touch.

“It is unbelievable that this man, who went to prison for sexually abusing children where he was a teacher, was allowed to teach again when he came out of prison. 
“It is equally unbelievable that after 11 children from Gellilydan School made allegations of sexual abuse this was not sent to Crown Court for trial but thrown out by the Magistrates’ Court where significant figures were his friends, or at least well known to him.

Contact details for those with information can be found in the link - 
https://www.andrewgroveandco.com/post/serious-miscarriages-of-justice-in-north-wales

Tanygrisiau school...
From The Times, dated 15th, April 1986 - 

There is little information on this case and google returns 'Some results may have been removed under data protection law in Europe' when searching for the headmaster.

In 2017, cyngor Gwynedd received a FOI request in relation to the headmaster Mr Ceryl Wyn Davies
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/complaints_made_by_parents

The request was refused citing personal data and though an internal review was asked of the officer's decision, the internal review was never answered.

This trial, in 1986, would have taken place around the same time that Gwynedd council suspended Alison Taylor, the social worker who blew the whistle on the abuse of children in the care of local authorities...

Taylor and investigators were hindered by what was called 'a cult of silence'.
For some older people, the present events appear a re-run of the past... 

 If not further delayed, the Jan Pickles review will now be published on the 4th, November. 
A public inquiry into Neil Foden and cyngor Gwynedd's internal processes is needed.

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...

 

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - "I'm not claiming that the way we're reporting is completely accurate..."

Cyngor Gwynedd  held an Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee meeting on Thursday, 19th June 2025. The webcast of the meeting can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/993870

The Task and Finish Group recommendations for Gwynedd council's Draft Education Language Policy - Cyngor Gwynedd Language Strategy 2023 - 2033 were discussed. There has been a recent push by councillors for schools to be taught through the medium of Welsh only...

The recommendations can be found in the agenda pack here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5496/Public%20reports%20pack%2019th-Jun-2025%2010.30%20Education%20and%20Economy%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

On the 16th June, the Planning Commiittee held a meeting. That webcast can be found here - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/992005

The meeting discussed an application for an 'affordable self build' house in Penygroes. It has been refused in the past but the local councillor called it in for a debate. The councillor did not attend the meeting...
The recommendation was to refuse with the department citing three reasons including a lack of communication with the applicant. For reasons unknown some councillors wished to support the application anyway. The application was refused... 

Gwynedd's Care Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday, 12th June 2025.
The webcast can be found here - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/991166

A performance report from the head of Housing and Property department, Carys Fôn Williams, was presented. 

Next up was the performance report of the children and supporting families department, presented by cabinet member, Menna Trenholme.
With Marian Parry Hughes absent from work, it was left to the interim heads, Aled Gibbard and Sharron Carter Williams, to answer members questions. 

The department's report makes no mention of the absences of two of its most senior officers and not one scrutiny member raised concerns. 

Morfa Bychan was discussed. The children's home should have been open last year. and whilst children have been placed there, the home is still not registered...

Councillor Beth Lawton raised concerns that according to the graphics in the report the interim heads had no concerns with the department at all. Lawton pointed out that there were concerns and described the Derwen service and its workload as huge.
Gibbard replied "I'm not claiming that the way we're reporting is completely accurate..." 

Councillor Gwynfor Owen asked the officers for the criteria that allows access to the disabled children's service. He was told, a learning disability and those with a substantial delay. Owen also asked if access to Derwen services was dependant on IQ. Gibbard replied no... 
Some parents have been told exactly that...

 
The Derwen criteria has been called out as unlawful in the past and in 2019, the Ombudsman for Wales recommendation was - 
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). 

What of the Hugh Morgan Autism Review? 
Have his recommendations been implemented? Perhaps Mr Morgan could be asked for his thoughts on 'progress' since his review?
His review can be found here -
https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2021/04/finally-gwynedd-councils-autism-report.html

Moving on, the report states that the purpose of the performance report is 'to present the performance of the Children and Supporting Families Department over the past year.'

But then states 'the report has been created based on the information and content of the latest meeting to challenge and support the performance of the Children and Supporting Families Department with the Director, the Senior Operational Officer and myself present at this meeting.'

So not over the past year? Only since the 'latest meeting' - whenever that was...?

The performance report for the Adults SS was also presented.

For what they're worth the reports can be found in the agenda pack here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5531/Public%20reports%20pack%2012th-Jun-2025%2010.00%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

In other news, Cyngor Gwynedd is advertising for a Corporate Director.
https://www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/en/Council/Jobs-and-Careers/Corporate-Director.aspx

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ongoing Saga At Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

In 2018, the BBC reported that staff at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle in Penygroes, had contacted their Trade Unions - NASUWT, NEU and UCAC with concerns about how the school was being run. The statement from Gwynedd council insisting good progress was being made held no water with the staff who wanted to discuss their concerns with an 'independent' party.

The joint letter from the unions repeated previous concerns teaching staff had with the school's management. Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle was placed in special measures in 2015 which lasted until 2017 after 'robust' improvements had been made.

The BBC article from the 18th May, 2018 with the headline 'staff issue strike ballot threat' can be found here -https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-44165753

Sadly, issues with the school continue. A recent article published on the 7th October, 2020, by the Local Democracy reporter, Gareth Wyn-Williams, reports on an internal review commissioned by Cyngor Gwynedd council and compiled in February.

 https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/staff-morale-extremely-low-north-19061041?

From the Daily Post article headlined - Staff morale 'extremely low' at North Wales secondary school, damning report finds -

Despite an acceptance that general pupil behaviour had improved, the report revealed that some staff remained negative about "concerning" aspects relating to a "small core."

With staff confidence in the leadership of the headteacher "needing to be restored," it reported staff openly admitting they were "afraid of some pupils" with some feeling that Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle was "sometimes used as a dumping ground for troublesome pupils from other schools".

Among findings was that governors "did not have a firm grasp" of how the school was operating, with a danger of the body becoming "factionalised" into those who supported the headteacher and those who didn't, while also being "slow to act" on performance issues.

Many staff including the Head have been off sick for long absences which has simply added to the many problems the school has faced.

Whilst the school, the governors, the council, the GwE, tom cobley and all scramble to protect their own reputations, the well being of the children and their education for their futures appear to be last on the list of priorities.

 

Caernarfon has been an area of deprivation since forever. Millions of pounds has been thrown at the area by UK government(s), the Welsh Assembly and the European Union over the years but the people remain poor. Poor quality housing and high rents exacerbate the issues. In the 80's, heroin, poor wages and unemployment were the problem. Now it is cocaine, poor wages and unemployment..

The local children in the area suffer the consequences that such deprivation has on the mental health of their parents and the local communities yet the council pull youth clubs and support services and local businesses either close or reallocate. A vicious cycle over and over...

A 2018 FOI request revealed that 21% of the pupils at the school were recognised as having Additional Learning Needs. If the Head and staff are off sick what happens then ? How are these children being supported ?

Pupil Referral Units (PRU's) were until 2013 held in separate buildings away from school premises, now they are run on site within the schools. The PRU's in Gwynedd were highly regarded but closed due to the cuts imposed by the council. Have the closures lead to the dumping of these children back into schools who can not cope to the detriment of all ?

The figures for those recognised with ALN are even higher in other schools in Gwynedd.

ADYaCH Behaviour Support link for those who have an interest -

https://adyach.cymru/en/Parents/Services/Inclusion/Behaviour-Support/Behaviour-Support.aspx

The Behaviour Support Service seeks a positive change in the behaviour of young people who experience behavioural, emotional and social development difficulties. The aim is to improve behaviour and reduce the risk of exclusion from school.