Nuance, Slippage And Non Compliance - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

In 2019, the CEO of Cyngor Gwynedd, stated to Councillors that all the Ombudsman for Wales recommendations had been met 'bar a nuance'. This was not correct.

Five Ombudsman for Wales reports into Gwynedd Social Services departments over four years - with major recommendations of the Ombudsman ignored. At this very moment a piece of work is being prepared by the Adults department to present to the Ombudsman in the hope it will finally achieve compliance already overdue way before the pandemic. The author, Manon Trapp, was recently warned by the departing CEO that further 'slippage' will not be tolerated by the Ombudsman - so that will be an interesting document...if the council ever release it. Sshh...

This past year has seen a marked increase in complaints against the SS departments. The present Director gives the reason for the increase as the result of a 'new' system of recording any expessions of dissatisfaction as a complaint. For several years, the departments recorded some complaints as enquiries only which would have affected the data on behaviours, performance and trends.

But, earlier this year, the Director herself downgraded a complaint to an enquiry so this makes no sense. The complaint concerned the actions of officer's that according to the senior safeguarding officer went against their very ethos - so maybe it does. Sshh...

Is Dafydd Gibbard, the new CEO, aware of the issues that the Ombudsman has uncovered over the last few years ? Of course, he is - the CEO has been with Gwynedd council since 2003 and would have heard all the stories. Nick Bennett has made quite plain his 'outrage' at the last incumbent and may already have been in contact with Mr Gibbard to ensure the new boss is aware of what is expected of him and the senior officer's. So much going on behind closed doors...

The SS department recently turned down a request for a copy of the Review of Autism Services, by Hugh Morgan, OBE, commissioned after a recommendation from an earlier Ombudsman's report - that was initially ignored. The complainants informal request was treated as a Freedom Of Information request by the Director and after the regulatory 20 days had passed the request was refused. After an Internal Review the Monitoring Officer overturned the SS decision and the report was finally released - though it is named the Derwen report for some reason. How confusing....Don't mention the A word. Sshh...

Think on that. A Monitoring Officer overturning the wishes of his own council's Director of Social Services. There has also been a recent change to the council's Constitution asked for by the Monitoring Officer that distances himself from the SS departments. What is going on...? There appears to have been no proper scrutiny of council operations since before the pandemic and so much goes on behind the scenes unminuted and undocumented but this is not usual. There has been a shuffling of positions within the Care Scrutiny committee too - a new Chair has been appointed. Dewi Roberts, who attempted to challenge the SS departments during his tenure has been replaced by the man he replaced, Eryl Jones-Williams - who did not. The Chair is the most important position on any committee and controls what will appear on the agenda - usually discussed and formulated at a pre-meeting with senior officers that is not open to the public and no minutes are taken.

Where is the voice of the Cabinet Members in all this ? Why the silence ? £35,000 per annum plus expenses plus pension...comes with legal duties and responsibilities. Doesn't it?

Care Inspectorate Wales ? We do not investigate individual complaints. Still..? And what of another Ombudsman's investigation and the findings from 2018 - "69. - In my view, these failings not only caused Mr A a significant injustice but also impacted upon Article 8 of his Human Rights.

However, I have decided that the finding I have made of maladministration is so clear and so serious that to consider the human rights issues further would add little value to my analysis or to the outcome.I have therefore decided to say no more about that."

The recommendations ordered by the Ombudsman in this case were also not fully complied with. Lessons learnt ? Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council.