Cyngor Gwynedd - Why Wasn't Neil Foden Stopped...?

Why wasn't Neil Foden stopped...? Cyngor Gwynedd council

Earlier this year, Gwynedd council's children and family department reported that complaints of a historic nature had been received dating back to 2013. No action was taken by social workers of the Arfon team. When the report was presented to the Care Scrutiny Committee not one councillor commented or even asked about their welfare. Shameful...

Controversy has plagued Gwynedd council ever since its creation in 1996 after the North Wales abuse scandal. Concerns about its councillors have been raised in Parliament, too. More recently, the Ombudsman for Wales has found them guilty of maladministration - on several occasions.

In 2014, the safeguarding team along with officers from the education department and North Wales police began an investigation into a complaint of alleged cruelty against children at Canolfan Brynffynnon in Y Felinheli. The pupil referral unit (PRU) catered for children with behavourial issues and others who did not cope well in mainstream schools including those with disabilities. Two members of staff were arrested and suspended by the council.

It is believed that a few weeks later, a third member of staff was suspended after a separate incident was reported. It is claimed this staff member was interviewed by police who decided there was no case to answer. 

The initial allegation of cruelty has always been disputed and the case was dropped in 2016 after the Criminal Prosecution Service received new information from the police. This 'new information' has never been made public. 

This case is troubling on many levels. There has been speculation asking if the investigating officers followed law and official procedures when interviewing the children? Or did the investigation begin from a malicious allegation and then evidence gathered to support the initial complaint?

Wasn't Liz Saville Roberts, now MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, the Cabinet member for Education at this time? Perhaps she could throw some light on this case and put an end to the speculation?

Over £800,000 was paid to NWP by the council and then there is the cost of those suspended on full pay, plus the cost to the council conducting their own investigation(s) into the matter. A reminder that Gwynedd council have a history of interference in investigations and writing reports in spite of the evidence. 

Did the actions of the safeguarding team in 2014 make them reluctant to take on Neil Foden?  Or, as some have suggested, was he protected because of his paygrade?

The Foden case is a can of worms for senior officers within safeguarding, education and NWP. It is no surprise that senior officers wish for a review of safeguarding only - which will be so limited that it will be worthless.

Six months before Foden's arrest, Geraint Owen, executive of the council and councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, leader of the council presented the Ffordd Gwynedd Plan to the Cabinet. It talked of a change of culture and mindset within the council -

…This is all rooted in a change of culture, behaviours and mind-set and its aim of realising the ambition across all parts of the Council’s activities is acknowledged as a substantial challenge and one which requires a comprehensive programme of support…

Also -Acting on the basis of evidence, rather than on the basis of what appears to be logical, is one of the cornerstones of the “way of working”and here there is an important function to ensure that managers and their teams use the information and data available to its full potential. 

The executive officers and many senior officers have worked for the council for 20 years plus. Are they responsible for the culture and mindset? To outsiders, the culture and mindset could be read as nepotism, bullying and collusion in cover up of bad decision making and even worse behaviours.

Then there is the Education Workplace Council investigation which found Foden guilty of unacceptable professional conduct. This alone should have been the end of him. What action, if any, was taken by the council and school governors at Ysgol Friars?

In early, 2022, a video was released online showing Foden appearing to grab a pupil by the scruff of the neck at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, in Penygroes. What action, if any, was taken by the council and school governors at Dyffryn Nantlle?

This video was discussed by the Education and Economy Committee but no action appeared to have been taken by the then head of education, Garem Jackson,, nor the former Cabinet member for Education, Cemlyn Williams, at that time. It is believed that Elin Walker Jones, now Cabinet member for children was a member of this committee. Her knowledge of what the council knew of Neil Foden and the discussions that took place would be invaluable.

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