GwE Travel Claims And Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

A meeting of the GwE Joint Committee was held on Wednesday, 13th July, 2022 1.30 pm. The agenda for the meeting can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=243&MId=4718

GwE made the news during the early stages of the pandemic when the Daily Post drew attention to an audit report highlighting concerns with GwE's expenses -

Auditors say they can't rule out that a school improvement service allowed its staff to change which offices they worked from so they could boost their mileage expenses claims.
GwE changed its policies at the same time that rules were tightened up for council workers. The new rules meant staff would only be able to claim for distances beyond that which they would normally travel to get from home to work....
The report concluded: "Whilst reviewing officers' travel claims, it appears that those who have changed their official work location have benefited financially, whether by claiming for the journeys they make to their usual place of work, or by reducing the loss associated with the distance from home to their official work location - or a combination of both.

The full article, by Gareth Wyn Williams, can be found here -
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/eyebrows-raised-what-schools-agency-18716183

Eyebrows raised indeed. What was the response of the former CEO to the concerns raised by the auditors - was an investigation undertaken? Could the new CEO update...?

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

One Councillor Walked Out Of The Meeting - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

Cyngor Gwynedd council held a hybrid Planning Committee on Monday, 4th July, 2022. The webcast can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/681487

The meeting has already attracted media attention -
'Gwynedd planners went against officers' recommendations to allow the development on Ffordd Capel Coch after hearing it was the "only way" a local woman could afford to continue living in the village'

That article can be found here -
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/llanberis-bungalow-build-granted-amid-pleas-to-help-keep-welsh-speaking-family-in-area/ar-AAZjAjK

The committee dealt with other applications.Those watching the live webcast in english were not able to hear the english speaking participants due to a sound failure. The failure does not occur in the Welsh version. One participant mentioned vested interests and a possible judicial review - but you have to listen to the Welsh version to hear her. 

Just under four minutes of the wecast in english are missing. It is not down to the sound failure(s)...

In a previous meeting, the long suffering Planning officer mentioned possible Government intervention due to decisions overturned by council members. Government can only investigate if a complaint is received. Anyone can make a complaint....

On Thursday, 7th July, the Care Scrutiny Committee held a meeting -
The agenda and link to the recorded meeting can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=394&MId=4704

One agenda item was to appoint members to attend performance challenge monitoring meetings with senior heads of departments. Six were required - two each for Housing/Planning, Children and the Adults departments. Councillors were slow to put their names forward even with prompting from the new Chair - who is also a former Chair.
Five Councillors eventually came forward - all from the Plaid group....

The meeting was expected to pass the North Wales Market Stability Report that links with the Population Needs Assessment - has that been completed yet?. Officer's admitted the report was not perfect - yet a vote was asked for...
Just as happened with the Care Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 3rd February, 2022...
More here -
https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2022/02/cyngor-gwynedd-council-scrutiny.html

One Councillor said it took her three days to read cover to cover because it was all 'jumbled up'.
Another walked out of the meeting after complaining about the state of the paperwork presented...

In last weeks other meetings, one Councillor stated there was no interest from the public regarding the Employment Appeals meetings. Of course there is public interest but these meetings usually take place with the public and press removed. Why would the Councillor say this - at such a time?

One Councillor appeared to nod off during another meeting - this meeting was not webcast but held over Zoom where the public have to ask for the link to join 'live'. What happens to these Zoom meetings afterwards? The meetings are not available on the council's website - are they simply deleted?

Something is 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...