The leader of the Independent group, Angela Russell, asked a question with regard to Neil Foden -
Many people have little faith that a review will be adequate including the Cabinet member herself who has spoken of the need for a pubilc inquiry. This is not a reflection on Jan Pickles, who has been appointed to lead the review - more on the officers who will be giving 'evidence'...
Will the former Cabinet member for Education, Cemlyn Rees Williams, be giving evidence to the review? It is believed Williams was in post in 2019 when Garem Jackson received the email from a teacher at Ysgol Friars whistleblowing on Neil Foden. Did he know of the safeguarding officer's advice to Jackson to simply have a chat with Foden about his behaviour?
During William's tenure, articles critical of Foden were appearing in the press. In 2020, he was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct by the Education Workforce Council-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54300055
Then there was the furore over the School meals: Head teacher of 2p debt threat 'thrown under bus'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59341464
Both Williams and Garem Jackson, then head of education, were questioned by Gwynedd council's Education and Economy Committee on the matter. Jackson refused to answer. Williams just complained that he was being compared to Boris Johnson, who at that time was being accused of lying to the nation. Councillors did not challenge their behaviour.
In early 2022, the video of Foden allegedly grabbing a pupil by the neck appeared online. This was raised at the next Education Scrutiny meeting. Again Garem Jackson chose not to comment, promising an update at a later time. Some have suggested that Foden took the rap for the Education department's callous approach to school meals during the pandemic and that perhaps this was the reason that no action was taken over the alleged assault. Whatever the reason, it was another missed opportunity to address serious issues surrounding Neil Foden.
A reminder that the education department only changed their stance on school meals after the intervention of footballer, Marcus Rashford...
It is concerning that many councillors appear to care more for the reputation of Cyngor Gwynedd Council and the senior officers than they do for the county's children and families.
Councillors of the Care Scrutiny Committee have ignored emails warning of maladministration and bad behaviour of senior officers - on more than one occasion.
Cabinet member, Dilwyn Morgan has also failed to pass on crucial information relating to the senior complaints manager of the children's SS department when he misled councillors. The complaints manager is also the senior safeguarding officer for Gwynedd council - he wears many hats...
Another Cabinet member appears to suffer from amnesia in relation to one Ombudsman for Wales investigation. She was handed a copy of the report after a council meeting but when later asked what action she took, she said she had no memory of receiving the report. Councillors may suggest that Gwynedd council do not make critical reports available to them. This is no excuse as many are reported in the press and regulators publish them online anyway.
Councillor R. Medwyn Hughes, shut down communication with one family when he was
asked for a meeting to discuss behaviours of senior officers. Hughes was also a school governor at Ysgol Friars but left the post after Foden's trial. There are suggestions he may return as governor as he is considered a safe pair of hands for the council...
When councillors turn a blind eye to the bad behaviours of senior
officers, it emboldens them and embeds the toxic culture within the council even more.
Luke Clements, a Professor of Law, at Leeds University wrote of the culture within Gwynedd council -
The full article can be found here -
https://www.lukeclements.co.uk/omg-will-it-never-end/
One councillor who sits on the Employment Appeals committee remarked that no-one was interested in the meetings and since then the committee has been closed to the public. There is a perception that this statement was taken as a request to officers to shut it down before one of the teachers suspended on full pay for 9 years was due to come before the committee.
In other news, one councillor refused to vote for the election of a vice chair at one meeting, protesting that Plaid Cymru were taking all the seats. This meeting was not webcast...
At another meeting, a councillor complained that committee meetings were not available on the council's website. The council's democracy service officer explained that though the meetings are recorded, they are not webcast and so can not be viewed later. The councillor was not content.
Something is very, very wrong within Gwynedd council...
