Cyngor Gwynedd Councillors Silent On Historic Complaints...

The Care Scrutiny Committee of Cyngor Gwynedd council received the SS annual complaints handling report last week. It is the first time the complaints report has come before scrutiny since 2019, after which the senior complaints manager was called out for misleading the committee.

One councillor mentioned he had made a complaint against social services during the pandemic and expressed his discontent with the process and urged the department to take complaints more seriously. He mentioned that the response to his Stage 2 complaint seemed to be to defend the service.

Historic complaints were reported...
As the report was written last year, but only just released, it can be presumed that these complaints stem from 2013. The scant detail given of the historic complaints against the Arfon children's team is concerning. Were the young people in care at the time? Was the safeguarding team informed?

Not one councillor of Gwynedd's Care Scrutiny Committee asked a question in relation to the two historic complaints mentioned in the SS departments report... 

People will remember the north Wales abuse scandal of the 70's through to the 1990's.
Gwynedd council sacked Alison Taylor, the social worker who blew the whistle on the abuse.,,

The scrutiny committee meeting of the 11th April was webcast and a recording can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/873653

The SS report states that one historic complaint can not be investigated as the social worker has left the council. This may be true but Gwynedd council has in a previous investigation, told an independent investigator that one employee could not be questioned as the officer had left the council. This officer returned to the council after the investigator had concluded her interviews with witnesses. 

In another case, the council informed investigating officers that an officer could not be questioned as they were on long term sick. Once that investigation was concluded, the officer returned to work, this time for Anglesey council...

The senior officers have also been called out for interfering in an 'independent investigation' by the Ombudsman for Wales. The investigator reported feeling bullied and overwhelmed by senior officers at a meeting held to discuss her initial report. 

Marian Parry Hughes and Aled Gibbard were the most senior officers present at this meeting alongside the social worker complained about for undertaking a fake assessment on a child. The social worker was also called out for sending what the parents called a malicious email designed, it was claimed, to cause trouble for them - this was denied...

The investigator's initial report upheld all complaints...
After this meeting, and a final third revision, this was no longer the case and only then was the report accepted by the Director of SS.
Are investigators only paid when their reports are accepted by senior officers..?

Gwynedd council's SS complaints handling has been shocking and for those who have endured the process, it appears the system has been used defensively and to protect reputational damage...

One serious complaint against an officer was downgraded to an enquiry by the former Director. Downgrading complaints means that the details are not recorded so avoiding scrutiny.
Are there more such cases?

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...

 

 

 

 

Training Fact Check - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

Cyngor Gwynedd Care Scrutiny Committee met on the 20th April, 2023, to hear progress on the autism plan.

Councillor Gwynfor Owen asked the senior operational manager, Aled Gibbard, if the training of staff had taken place yet. The officer did not give a simple yes or no but rambled on about e-modules for staff (created by the National Autistic Team) and that over 300 people have viewed the video.
So no - the Councillor retorted.

The senior operational manager appears to have forgotten the 'intense training' that senior officers put forward as evidence in an Ombudsman's investigation. The original recommendation agreed to was -
81 (f) Reviews its process on monitoring commissioned services for adults.
(g) Undertakes a review of its ASD procedures, specifically those for adults and children with high functioning ASD, and ensure that the requirements of the SSWA 2014, MHM 2010 and ASD SAP have been met.
(h) Undertakes an audit of its ASD trained officers, identifies any shortfall and arranges appropriate training within the following 12 months.

When the Ombudsman followed up with the council to check compliance with its orders, the senior officers informed -
Further to the request below for information, here’s the latest information we have about the situation in terms of the ASD service. There has been no specific review, but intense training has been undertaken in the subject (and in the plans).I have prepared an answer below. You are welcome to pass this forward, by also explaining that no specific review has yet taken place.

"The staff delivering Learning Disability services are acutely aware of the increasing need for timely and effective provision of high quality services for people living with ASD. We have implemented an extensive training and awareness programme as evidenced by the Training Unit. In addition, we are proactive members of the North Wales Integrated Autism Service (details attached). We have also begun work to establish a new team within the Learning Disability service which will be taking a preventative approach to service delivery, with effective ASD provision being an integral part." 

Even though this 'intensive training' was not autism specific the Ombudsman accepted this as a 'variance' and only then closed the investigation. A reminder that this case 201700388 was featured in the Ombudsman's hall of shame casebook - Equality and Human Rights 2019/20.

Cyngor Gwynedd had even posted details of this 'extensive training and awareness programme' on its website - but removed it soon after the Ombudsman received a critique of the officers 'evidence' after a Freedom of Information request revealed the disconnect with reality. Luckily for officers, the Ombudsman does not reopen cases - even after new evidence is provided.

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council - the problem is the senior officers.

 

Autism And Dementia Support Update - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

As if by magic, Cyngor Gwynedd have now added an Employment Appeals Committee to its calendar. The meeting will take place on Friday, 21st April, 2023 at 9.00 am. The agenda is yet to be published.

The Care Scrutiny Committee meet on the 20th April. The agenda includes the overdue update on the council's autism plan. Some members of the committee will remember the Senior Operational Manager, Aled Gibbard, launching the 'innovative' plan in the 2021 meeting.

Full Minutes of the Autism Strategy from the 2021 meeting can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/mgAi.aspx?ID=22140
An excerpt -
'The Cabinet Member elaborated on the content of the report noting that this Plan was one of the Council's improvement priority projects, namely to ensure that Families and Children with autism had access to the support they needed to thrive...'
'It was added that work on the Plan had continued during the recent difficult period and the opportunity was taken to thank Council Officers for their work along with other partners including the Health Board'

There was a high number of councillors absent from that meeting including apologies from the Head of childrens SS and the Cabinet member for Adults. The former Chair of the committee was clear to point out to Mr Gibbard the department's long standing failure to support autism services. Other observations included -
'It was enquired whether the number of people with the condition was increasing. It was also stated that it would have been useful to see more input from families during the consultation. It was suggested that regular feedback should be received from service users and their families in order to review whether or not this Plan had improved their experiences...'

The updated report contains no data...
The link to the updated report can be found here - https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/s37702/UPDATE%20ON%20THE%20GWYNEDD%20AUTISM%20PLAN.pdf

Under Staffing Update - the officers write that the previous 'innovative' plan had 'originally included the appointment of a co-ordinator and transition age social worker..'
Note 'originally'.This post was a specific requirement of the 2020 Hugh Morgan OBE Review. The post has been paid for, after all.

The update report continues - An Autism Practice Lead has now been appointed and will take up her role in May 2023. This post will co-ordinate the development of Autism services in Gwynedd and will act as the line manager for the other posts. The Social Worker post has been advertised for the second time, with no applicants responding to the first advertisement. Interviews for the post are currently being arranged. The Key Worker posts are due to be advertised shortly...

It mentions that one SW job was advertised but had no candidates - the report fails to mention that the permanent position was originally advertised as a 4 year, temporary position. No wonder there was no response.

A copy of the Hugh Morgan review into Gwynedd autism services can be found here -  https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2021/04/finally-gwynedd-councils-autism-report.html 

With the senior officers accepting the recommendations of the review this also re-assured the Ombudsman for Wales who was looking into non compliance from another investigation. Councillors will remember the Ombudsman's 'outrage' with the council and the summoning of the former CEO to Cardiff to personally apologise for the failings.

The council have not yet employed the staff - and appear to be sitting on the funding.
Just smoke and mirrors...

The Cabinet Member for Adults is to also update the Committee on dementia support. The report is...bad and shows the deep crisis in Gwynedd. Did the embargo on care homes affect dementia placements too? So many questions and a member that has refused to answer to the Committee in the past. It is not looking good for the elderly...

That report can be found here - https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/s37698/Support%20for%20Individuals%20with%20Dementia%20in%20Gwynedd.pdf

Gwynedd Council - Family 'Under Siege' In Nefyn Granted Planning Permission.

During the pandemic, Welsh Government passed new laws and policies to enable more public participation in local authority proceedings. Hybrid zoom meetings with some councillors in the chamber and some at home will become the new normal.

Though all council meetings have been recorded since the pandemic very few have been uploaded to Gwynedd's website for viewing by other councillors and the public.

Members of the Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee were to hear back from the senior Education officer regarding the video circulated on social media that appeared to show the headmaster of a local school grab a pupil by the neck. The last meeting of this committee was cancelled - have members of the committee been updated ?

The question of why Neil Foden complained to the press that he had been 'thrown under a bus' by the council over the school meals fiasco has still not been answered.

Senior Operations Manager Aled Gibbard presented the Care Scrutiny Committee with the Council's 'Autism Plan' on November the 25th 2021.

Observations submitted by members included the following  - "There was a desire to receive an information session for Councillors in order to improve understanding of the field. It was reiterated that this training should be held before April 2022"

Have Councillors received this 'training' session ?

Also - "The annual review of the Plan was welcomed by Members adding that there was a strong desire to receive an update before April 2022."

Have Members received that update ?

Moving on - the annual complaints handling reports of Gwynedd social services has not been presented for scrutiny since before the pandemic. The last Children's report was presented in 2019, by Dafydd Paul. A complaint was raised with the council that the officer had misled the committee but this complaint was downgraded to an 'enquiry' by the Director  of SS who dealt with the complaint personally and so details will not be logged - presumably...

The Adult and Children departments are responsible for the most vulnerable people in society. We have had two years of a pandemic - many have died - social care is in crisis. Why no scrutiny?

In other news - Councillors of the Planning Committee complained that planning policies were not fit for purpose....

Two proposals which the planning department refused have now been overturned by councillors. Planning permission to create a home from a ruin by a local resident was granted. The other was more controversial and worries of intervention by the Welsh Government were raised.

Some councillors appeared to know the applicant and spoke of the family's troubles. Mention was made that the family already own an ex council home in Nefyn but that the family have been experiencing abuse from some in their community which is now affecting their children.

 https://amg.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/planning/?fa=downloadDocument&id=341076&public_record_id=31950

The story of anti-social behaviour and concerns for their mental health, portrayed by one councillor as a family 'under siege' was enough to sway councillors and the application was passed.

 

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - When Is Compliance Compliance ?

On the 23rd, December, 2021 the Ombudsman for Wales wrote regarding Cyngor Gwynedd council's compliance - or rather non compliance - with recommendations from a 2019 investigation into the children's SS department.

"In relation to compliance I had also chased the Council in the interim for confirmation as to the outcome of the Cabinet meeting on 30 November (having not had any update). I received its response yesterday morning. I have also today been able to see the minutes of that Cabinet meeting on its website and confirmation that the plan was approved. Having considered the question of compliance, we are content that the Council has met this as a varied implementation from the strict wording of the recommendation as set out.

Think on that - the Ombudsman had to chase the council for confirmation and then checked the minutes of the meeting to confirm the council's confirmation..Lessons learnt?

But what is this 'varied implementation from the strict wording'?

 

On October 22, 2020, the Ombudsman shared his thoughts on what was expected of the council to meet compliance...- 

 

Mr Bennett went on -

 

The Transitional Social Worker has still not been employed.

 

Re the Derwen eligibilty criteria - Why does Hugh Morgan, OBE,  recommend a 'further (and immediate)' review? An Ombudsman's investigation from 2019 recommends - 

 

70. 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).

 

The Ombudsman has signed this off as completed. So why is the consultant calling for a further review only one year later? By this time, there should be two reviews into Derwen - where are they?

Just before Christmas, the Derwen manager, Aled Gibbard, was asked to share the autism data collected with Councillors of the Care Scrutiny Committee. Apart from a vague 1 in 100 figure he produced no local data. Why not? Why not simply collate all the data from the agencies that have been working together since 2008.

 

Hugh Morgan's review makes mention of 'ring fenced' (and non ring fenced) monies for these services over the same period. By my estimation, there is £680,000 worth of data - where is it?

 

The 'plan to be launched by April, 2021' has still not been launched.

Anyway it is not a plan - it is simply a copy and paste presented by the contact officer, Aled Gibbard,  of Hugh Morgan's review and recommendations . The Equality Impact Assessment also undertaken by Mr Gibbard is mostly a copy and paste of Welsh Government's Code of Practice Equalty Impact Assessment. 

 

Regardless - the Ombudsman has signed it off...

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...has it infected the Ombudsman's office?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cyngor Gwynedd Council's Autism Plan Is Simply A Copy And Paste Exercise...

The Ombudsman for Wales finally had his meeting with the present CEO of Cyngor Gwynedd council, Dafydd Gibbard, to discuss continuing non compliance with recommendations made in 2019 - that the past CEO had informed was complete 'bar a nuance'.

The nuance happens to be the Autism plan now heralded on the council's website as 'innovative'. It is anything but....

The 'plan' presented by the contact officer, Aled Gibbard, is simply a cut and paste of the review report summary and recommendations agreed to after the Hugh Morgan, OBE review of services in Gwynedd undertaken last year -
The plan can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=32127

Aled Gibbard is also responsible for the 'equality impact assessment report' - tacked on to the already published council agenda. It, too, is a copy and paste - this time, of the Code of Practice for Autism -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=32135

A plan is meant to inform and clarify - this does neither. Ditto the equality impact assessment report....

Senior officers gave evidence to Hugh Morgan and presumably assurances during his review of the evidence presented -
https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2021/04/finally-gwynedd-councils-autism-report.html  

Hugh Morgan's thoughts on the council 'plan' would be interesting. The urgent recommendations from his review have still not been complied with.... 

Has Dafydd Gibbard been dodging the Ombudsman until the Derwen manager, Aled Gibbard, presented a 'plan' that they consider meets with compliance ?  By now we are guessing that Nick Bennett may have become so frustrated with the council that any piece of work masquerading as a plan will be accepted as compliance. Interesting times...

Senior officers may claim there are no financial resources but as Mr Morgan points out the money is already there. He makes mention of the ring fenced monies from 2008 until 2016 at £60,000 a year and then £40,000 (not ring fenced) from then on. By my calculations, Gwynedd council have received £680,000 of government money for support services that do not exist. Where has that money gone ?

And talking of money, Gwynedd council have once again increased the amount in 'reserves'.
This money can only have come from the council not spending on services and support.
Why is Wales Audit not raising concerns ?

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Finally - Gwynedd Council's Autism Report - Unredacted.

The unredacted Autism Report that the Head of Cyngor Gwynedd Children and Family's Department, Marian Parry Hughes, said would not be released unredacted.

BCUHB (West) region, Gwynedd, Mon and Conwy

Evidence and Data provided by some of the usual suspects....

AG: Alex Gibbard(Senior Operational Manager, Children’s Disabilities Services)

DL: David Lewis (Social Work Team Manager, Derwen)

NP: Non Pierce (Senior Social Worker, Derwen)

CB: Christine Burns (Practitioner Manager, North Wales Integrated Autism Service)

DP: Dafydd Paul (Senior Safeguarding and Quality officer GCCC)

LW: Lowri Williams (Customer Care Officer, Gwynedd CC)

JEH: Janw Hughes Evans (Head of Nursing Children’s Services, BCUHB)

SCW: Sharron Carter Williams (Senior Operational Manager,Children’s Services)

EH: Elliw Hughes, (Referral Team Manager, Children’s Services) 

Now renamed the 'Derwen Report' for some reason.....Dont mention the A word Sshh.

T