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...

 

 

 

 

Director of Cyngor Gwynedd Council Social Services To Leave Post.

More change at Cyngor Gwynedd council as the Director of Social Services is leaving...

Morwena Edwards, whose background is finance was employed as Director of Adult and Children's Social Services in 2012.

The Director of Gwynedd SS is to leave her post in the summer - a year after the Chief Executive Officer retired..

To lose a chief executive officer in the midst of a pandemic was...unfortunate. To lose two such senior officers in just over a year suggests every officer for themselves...

Is another scandal about to come to light?

How long does it take a Monitoring Officer to respond to an FOI request for an internal review?

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - The Car Pool, A Party And An Internal Review.

The return of staff to council offices should by now be complete - just in time for the council elections. 28 councillors have already been elected in uncontested wards as they were the only ones to put their name forward - 19 of these are Plaid Cymru members giving them nearly 30% control of the council before a vote is even cast.

So what unresolved matters will face the new councillors?
There is still the issue of Gwynedd council's own #partygate scandal during the pandemic -

'The incident which saw them share a minibus was described by Dilwyn Williams, chief executive of Gwynedd Council  as "completely unacceptable" in a letter to staff.
Mr Williams said in the letter that "the individuals involved will be dealt with accordingly" as the council has had to fork out additional costs to cover their work during the self isolation period.'

More on that here - https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/gwynedd-council-worker-tests-positive-18850705

Then there was the issue of officers misuse of the council's vehicles as reported in the Daily Post, last year -

“We are aware that there are some instances where staff may not have adhered to this policy, and we are working with our trade union partners to address this matter and update our policy.
“We can also confirm that the council removed a banner which was placed without consent on railings near Morrisons roundabout in Caernarfon last weekend.”

More on that here -
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/gwynedd-council-review-vehicle-policy-19777848

'Arfon Assembly Member, Sian Gwenllian has already written to the authority after concerns were raised with her, confirming she would “continue to communicate” with the authority'
Any update for the public?

Then there is the Education department and its failure to explain why the headmaster Neil Foden reported being thrown under a bus by the council during the school meals fiasco. No explanation of the video circulated on social media of the teacher appearing to have a pupil by the neck, either.

In other news, an FOI request was raised with the council last year. The Information officer did not answer the question fully and so an Internal Review was asked for. The council has failed to carry out this review and an email asking for an update was ignored...

What possible reason could the council have to ignore its duties under the FOI Act?

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

.

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.

 

One Gwynedd Councillor Continued To Work In His Shed During The Meeting....

On Thursday, 17th February, 2022, Cyngor Gwynedd council held a Democracy Services Committee meeting. The agenda can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=140&MId=4494

There was an update on the May elections, an update on hybrid meetings, a diversity in democracy report, a Democratic Services team performance report, and the increase in salaries for Councillors were all discussed. After each report, a vote was called for and each one passed...

One councillor was present but not really present. He had taken the laptop into what looked like his workshop for the Zoom meeting and spent most of it pottering around away from the screen. He was shouted at to get his attention and asked how he was voting on the first report - he voted to accept. He then returned to his project and took little part in the rest of proceedings.

Regarding the increase of salaries to councillors only one councillor objected and voted against. She thought it disgusting with the cost of living crisis now hitting residents hard. It was explained that this was the recommendation from a renumeration panel...

Democratic services raised the following in one report -  

This is the experience of the Deiniol Ward Councillor, who has decided not to stand again in the May elections. He was very clear in an article published by the Bangor Aye -

“The largest part of the decision not to stand probably comes from the boundary changes. For those who don’t know, several new ‘mega-wards’ have been created in Bangor which only take account of the small number of registered voters, but take no account of the amount of businesses, infrastructure and 10,000 students population (plus most of the university campus) which fall in the new ward.".

He continued - 

“It’s also been a strange 5 years in the world of electoral politics, which I must admit was never my natural home. Elections – whether local or national – don’t change things much because the institutions we get elected to are tied into far too many patterns and systems that are designed to halt real change whilst keeping the money and the real power in the hands of a very small number of self-serving and corrupted people".

The article can be found here -
https://www.thebangoraye.com/gwynedd-councillor-to-stand-down-following-bangor-boundary-changes/

The Democracy Services Committee meeting should be available on the council's website for public viewing sometime soon - https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/home

 

One Councillor Was Asleep - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

On the 10th, February, 2022, Cyngor Gwynedd Audit and Governance Committee sat to discuss the Saint David's Day Celebration, the revenue budget review, savings schemes, the budget and Audit Wales reports.

The agenda pack - that includes the Audit Wales reports can be found here - https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=136&MId=4597

As in most meetings, the councillors had few questions for officer's and the presented data - the most significant challenges coming from Sharon Warnes, the lay member of the committee.

One councillor fell asleep during the meeting...

Part of the Audit Wales report highlighted that the council was developing a new 'performance arrangement framework'...but that communication with and training for councillors has not been effective enough. No kidding... .

The Audit Wales officer was asked for his opinion of scrutiny during the meeting - he just laughed...

The same officer presented the 2019 report to council where he had raised concerns with the provision of youth services - that old chestnut. It was not a meeting the officer would have enjoyed. More on that here - https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2019/10/did-cyngor-gwynedd-council-dogpile.html

Remembering that, the officer may have been thankful to be attending via Zoom rather than in the council chamber, but councillors were still heard to make remarks...

The recording of the 10th, February, 2022, Audit and Governance Committee meeting should be found on the council's website some time soon - https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcasts

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - Harassment In Schools.

On the 8th February, 2022, Cyngor Gwynedd council held an Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee meeting. The agenda for the meeting can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=392&MId=4380

The agenda included -
HARASSMENT OF HEADTEACHERS, TEACHERS AND SCHOOL STAFF ON SOCIAL MEDIA
There have been incidents and the situation is being monitored...

What of the video of a Headteacher appearing to have a child by the neck? The same Headteacher who caused the social media backlash on school dinners - but then accused the council of throwing him under a bus...
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-headteacher-filmed-appearing-22954185

The Education officer thanked the committee for the question and said he would get back to them....

Why the headteacher accused the council of throwing him under the bus was asked at the Education Scrutiny Committee meeting but the Cabinet Member for Education, Cemlyn Williams, did not answer the question. Instead, he chose to focus on his perception that he was being compared to Boris Johnson. The Education officer simply wished to be 'moving forward'

Have Committee members thought about inviting Mr Foden, so that they may hear his side of the story?
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/headteacher-says-thrown-under-bus-22213496

SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN SCHOOLS
Whilst acknowledging there is a problem, there was again very little in the way of data. The main data coming from a UK website on bullying and harassment...

Where is the local data? The schools must have recorded incidents - why was that data not presented? Why is there no data from Gwynedd Youth Justice. The Police - Governors - Pupils - Parents?

With regard to the Economy report - the data driving future works in the county appears to come from a survey undertaken by the council. There were less than 160 responses...Of those some were critical of the lack of youth provision in Gwynedd - this criticism does not appear in the council report...

Regardless, the committee passed the reports...

This meeting should be available for public viewing on the council website sometime soon -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/home

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...



 

Cyngor Gwynedd Council Scrutiny Committee Pass What Exactly...?

Cyngor Gwynedd council's Care Scrutiny Committee met on the 3rd February, 2022, to receive a progress report on the Occupational Therapy service and also to scrutinise the North Wales Population Needs Assessment.

Whilst the OT report was quite encouraging, if accurate - the Needs Assessment had not been completed.
The officer blamed the pandemic and a lack of data but promised the report will be ready to be presented to the Cabinet next week. So no proper scrutiny then?
Regardless, a vote on the report that was not a report was called for....!!!

A debate ensued - well sort of...
There appeared to be a plea for councillors to help in the collecting of data - then it was said there is enough data...!!
Concerns were raised that few people were responding with requests for information - surveys etc and were there mumblings that the data was not positive to the services?

The meeting bemoaned the fact not enough people are engaging to aid with data collection. But families have tried to engage and are ignored...or parent bashed. Councillors of the Scrutiny Committee have been made aware of the concerns for those with protected characteristics (and the data) for several years now - the committee has not engaged. Are members now asking for those with past experience of council services to come forward? It was all very confusing...

Have any of the five recent Ombudsman's investigations been used to inform the Assessment? Has the Hugh Morgan, OBE review been used - apart from the cut and paste 'plan' presented to the last Scrutiny meeting?

Have we reached the point where departmental reports and data are in complete contradiction to recent investigations, reviews and people's personal experiences?

One of the counci's most important pieces of work to plan services for the next 5 years is being bodged...For why? The data is worthless....

Only one committee member saw through it all and voted against accepting the report, one other abstained - the rest voted it through....

The webcast of the meeting should be available on the council's website for viewing some time soon -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcasts

The North Wales Population Needs Assessment can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/documents/s32793/20220223%20Appendix%201.pdf

Something is very wrong with Gwynedd council....

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - More Questions Re Compliance - Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman for Wales email of the 23rd, December, 2021, also mentions Derwen, Cyngor Gwynedd council's disabled children's service and states -

 
"The consultant’s review considered the role of Derwen (responsible for assessments of children) and of NEWIAS (with a remit for accessing adult diagnostic assessment) and the chart within the draft plan seen demonstrates how the agencies will work together.  The need in particular for a transitional social worker and additional training for relevant officers was identified and is to be implemented as well as establishing an Autism champion."

What draft plan? 

Gwynedd council and Derwen should have been working with agencies since 2008 and the introduction of the Autism SAP. How can they plan to work with agencies that they have been working with for the past 14 years?

With regard to an autism champion the Plaid Cymru Councillor for Glyder in Bangor, Elin Walker Jones, was the nominated autism champion from 2012 and was even nominated for an award in 2014 - she didn't win. What happened to her? 

The 'additional training' the Ombudsman mentions should have already taken place (details below)

 

It would be interesting to have sight of the evidence provided to Hugh Morgan's Review by Gwynedd senior management - and fact checked.

The SS departments these officers manage and their actions and behaviours have been heavily criticised in five Ombudsman investigations . Four of those investigations involved the bad treatment meted out to those on the autistic spectrum. their families and even complaint investigators. One investigation - not autism related - was because of a death in a local care home.

 

Have the Ombudsman's recommendations from that case been complied with? The council's last CEO, Dilwyn Williams, warned the adult SS department that the work was long overdue before he retired. Where is evidence of compliance? 

Hugh Morgan's review and recommendations that senior officers have accepted but also failed to implement can be found here -
https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2021/04/finally-gwynedd-councils-autism-report.html

 

But why is Mr Morgan raising issues with the Derwen 'criteria'...?
The council were meant to have already updated their Derwen criteria to align with law from a previous investigation - the Ombudsman has signed this off as completed. It makes no sense....

Also this from an Ombudsman's investigation which the council accepted in 2018 -

What is the point of costly and time consuming reviews and investigations when nothing changes?

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

 

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?