Cyngor Gwynedd Council - Not My Shame...?

Cyngor Gwynedd held a full council meeting on the 1st, May, 2025.
The agenda pack can be found here -

https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//mgChooseDocPack.aspx?ID=5167

The meeting passed a motion raised by councillor Beca Brown.

The #NotMyShame motion was in response to the actions of paedophile headteacher, Neil Foden.
Brown was the former cabinet member for Education, who resigned last year in protest at the council leader's handling of the matter and was vocal in calling for a full public inquiry...

Brown mentioned that child abuse can happen '...more often than not in their own homes.'
Gwynedd has a long history of child abuse and many of the abusers have been those in a position of trust. A reminder that cyngor Gwynedd has recently reported an increase in allegations against those in a position of trust. 

But what happens when someone blows the whistle?
In 2019, the then head of education, Garem Jackson, was contacted by a teacher with concerns of Foden's closeness to children. After seeking advice from a safeguarding officer, Jackson simply had a chat with Foden about his behaviour and also outed the whistleblower to him.

 

A reminder that the council sacked a social worker who blew the whistle on the last child sexual abuse scandal. 

 

A recent survey of Gwynedd staff revealed many would NOT blow the whistle on wrongdoing - including sexual abuse. Fear of retribution...?
Is this the 'culture' that the executive officers say must change...?
It has never been explained what the culture was that needed to change...

There were other opportunities to stop Foden.
Were claims of undeserved examination passes at Ysgol Friars investigated?
Judgements from Employment Tribunals are published online and it is presumed that senior officers would have knowledge of the case as well as the school governors.

Then there was a ruling against Foden for unprofessional conduct...

There was also the video of Foden allegedly showing him grabbing a pupil by the scruff of the neck.
What action did Garem Jackson and the school governors at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle take?

Councillors of Gwynedd's Education and Economy Scrutiny committee did raise this issue at one meeting but Jackson refused to answer though he did promise the committee an update. (Gwynedd officers are sometimes reluctant to give information within public meetings and some councillors are given more details afterwards)

So were committee members informed?
What actions did members and the then cabinet member for Education take?
The committee is currently investigating Foden and their report should be completed soon.

Many will find it ... distasteful that the Not My Shame campaign flag is to be flown above the heads of a council who could and should have stopped Foden years ago. 

 

Councillors could be asking for the Woods report to be published.
They could also ask for the Canolfan Brynffynnon reports.

The webcast of the meeting can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/981083

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - We Need To Talk About Canolfan Brynffynnon...

Canolfan Brynffynnon, the pupil referral unit in Y Felinheli, closed by cyngor Gwynedd council in 2014, is being investigated by Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors -
https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/25090281.gwynedd-referral-unit-pupils-saw-staff-bullying-children/

Canolfan Brynffynnon made the news in 2014, when two staff members were arrested on allegations of cruelty.
A third officer was later suspended as, it is believed, they were the most senior member present on the day one incident was meant to have occurred.  

In 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service, after receiving new information, did a deep dive of the evidence and the trial was stopped.
What was that new information and who supplied it?

Though the CPS dropped the case, cyngor Gwynedd did not reinstate the staff.
Instead the suspensions continued on full pay - for years.
If there was evidence of mistreatment, why were the officers not sacked in 2016?
A criminal conviction would not be needed in cases such as this - as long as the evidence was strong.

Two employees have now received redundancy packages.
How much have these packages cost and were non disclosure agreements attached?
A reminder that NDA's may not be legally binding if they are imposed to cover illegality and/or undermine public interest...

The third employee has recently been reinstated after taking the council to Employment Tribunal.
Gwynedd council acted before the case was heard in court.

So what could have been presented to the tribunal?  
An allegation of a malicious complaint?
Were there botched interviews?
Was there a failure to adhere to procedures?
Was a social worker meant to be supporting a family whilst actively working against them?

It can be presumed that whatever came out at tribunal would be highly embarrassing for cyngor Gwynedd and their safeguarding officers - especially at this time with the Jan Pickles review ongoing.

Cyngor Gwynedd is again asking for the public to contact social services and the police with information re child abuse. In this instance, it may be better to contact Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors directly -
https://www.andrewgroveandco.com/contact-us

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

 

 

Cyngor Gwynedd Council Reinstate Officer After 9 Year Suspension...

Cyngor Gwynedd council will not (yet) release the report by the barrister, Genevieve Woods.
Woods report looks at the circumstances from 2019 and how senior officers dealt with concerns raised with regard to Neil Foden...

From a BBC article -
She looked at 2019 because, during Foden's trial, the council's former head of education Garem Jackson said that was when he made a senior safeguarding officer aware of concerns about Foden's "close relationship" with some teen girls.
He said he was advised there was no need for a formal investigation as no official complaint had been made.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly2njvjwzko

In 2019, the Director of Gwynedd SS, with ultimate responsibility for safeguarding children was Morwena Edwards. Others with responsibility for safeguarding in the childrens department -
Marian Parry Hughes (Head of Children and Family)
Aled Gibbard (Assistant Head Children/Resources)
Dafydd Paul (Senior Safeguarding and Quality/complaints manager)

Edwards quit the council in 2022, at the same time a report was received into the Canolfan Brynffynnon referral unit, it is believed.

The PRU has made the news recently -
https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/25090281.gwynedd-referral-unit-pupils-saw-staff-bullying-children/

Did these officers have knowledge of, or were any of them instrumental in the suspensions of three members of staff that lasted 9 years? It is reported that two of the staff members have taken redundancy and one is still employed by the council.

Gwynedd council actually dismissed the one officer...
A case against cyngor Gwynedd for wrongful dismissal was brought to Employment Tribunal. On the 23rd December, 2024, the case was struck out.
Because the council had reinstated the officer...

The tribunal hears evidence from both sides and then makes a judgement.
Judgement reports are detailed and give the names of officers involved.
Was the dismissed staff member reinstated to avoid details of the case becoming public knowledge and the officers involved being named?

Presumably, this case would have gone before the council's Employment Appeals Committee?
So what do members of that committee know?

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...