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...

                                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - Rumours Of Organisational Corruption...?

After 5 years of not presenting any social services complaints handling report to cyngor Gwynedd council's care scrutiny committee, the SS departments now drop two in a matter of months...

The children's annual report does not contain an update on the historic complaint mentioned in the 2022/23 report, presented earlier this year. Is this because of the action being taken against the council with regard to Neil Foden? Or does it concern Canolfan Brynffynnon?

A reminder that the council received a report into the pru case just as the former director of SS quit the council.

The 2023/24 complaints report is authored by Marian Parry Hughes – Head of Children and Supporting Families Department and Aled Davies – Head of Adults, Health and Well-being Department. It is defensive and gives little detail to the nature of the complaints.
An example -

Not one councillor asked about this...

Pre pandemic, there was maladministration in the council's dealings with disabled people and their families - on several occasions. The complaints handling officers came in for much criticism during some investigations...

Past complainants have spoken of being gaslit and smeared by officers when raising a complaint and that senior officers created a false narrative and colluded in cover up when challenged. 

The heads of service continue to blame people...
 


'Rumours of organisational corruption..?'

Deny, attack, reverse victim/offender...

The heads of service also mention -

Fact check...?
The heads of service know better than anyone that the Ombudsman granted Gwynedd council 'variances' to PSOW recommendations after investigations had ended.

After its dealings with cyngor Gwynedd, the PSOW now requires robust evidence of compliance before signing off and closing cases. So has the PSOW closed the case and which one are the officers referring to? There are several...

Investigations often uncover issues with law, policies and behaviours and the recommendations for improvement are meant to rectify failings. 

Why the PSOW allowed the CEO to water down these improvements is not known...

For what its worth, the report can be found in the agenda pack here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5188/Public%20reports%20pack%2026th-Sep-2024%2010.30%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

The webcast of the care scrutiny committee held on Thursday, 26th September, 2024 - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/915151

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...