#cricieth

The virtual meeting of Cyngor Gwynedd's council's cabinet took place on the 21st January.

First up was the report to close the day centres Y Ganolfan, in Blaenau Ffestiniog and Encil y Coed, in Cricieth.

Dilwyn Morgan, the cabinet member for Adults, began his presentation of the report by reading from a prepared statement 'for clarity'. He began by apologising that part of the report is incorrect or as he put it 'a bit ahead of the game'. 

We are also aware that there is a new hub development set up in Porthmadog very recently and we are very keen to collaborate and learn more about this new development.

Why was it not deleted? Its retention within the report gives the impression that those with profound needs and dementia will not miss out, indeed it informs that these very people are by now enjoying numerous and varied support services in their own communities, the report also states that in some cases people are having to travel out of their local area for support/services. But in the meeting, Aled Davies, the Head of Adults SS could not guarantee that support services would be available... 

One day centre building also houses the local library, which presumably closes too? Members of the cabinet voted for the closures anyway...

The response to the Neil Foden's offending plan was also passed. It has been 16 months since Foden's arrest and Gwynedd council's "commitment to apologise sincerly to the victims and survivors and their families for what they have had to suffer" will be seen as disingenuous by many - and way too late.

The webcast of the meeting can be found here - https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/947749/start_time/0

Instead of 'commiting to apologise' perhaps people would prefer the council took action on the officers who failed the children?

There were ample opportunities for school governors and council officers to stop Foden - they all failed. In addition to these failures, it is still not known who the safeguarding officer was that advised Garem Jackson to simply have a word with Foden when concerns were raised in 2019. Is that officer still in post?

No concerns raised with regard to Jackson giving Foden the name of the teacher who whistleblew in 2019, nor mention of the class action being taken against Gwynedd council.

The cabinet, which includes a school governor at Ysgol Friars in post during Foden's reign of terror, also missed an opportunity to discuss claims that some pupils received undeserved examination passes. That particular councillor did not speak during the discussion... No mention was made of the missing money either...

Not one cabinet member enquired if a 'critical incident' had been declared after Foden's arrest which would have preserved the integrity of the evidence...

The Education and Economy Scrutiny committee are also to hold an investigation into Neil Foden. This is the same committee that twice failed to hold him to account in the past....

The cabinet member for education did not ask questions of the safeguarding complaint that appears to have avoided any scrutiny, nor query the complaint about the assessment from the meeting he missed previously.

Nor did he ask for more information on the cohorts of children excluded from schools such as those with ALN and also council 'looked after children'.

A full public inquiry is needed - which covers the failures of council officers also.

Have you been to Cricieth/Criccieth in North Wales/Gogledd Cymru...?

We went in March and I painted this sketch!

The A5 (21cm by 14.8cm with two rounded corners) unframed original is £25. Please just private message me to purchase it.

It's also available on a variety of sized prints and printed on all kinds of lovely stuff at: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/143772770

Thanks!

Sam aka LymphomaLass xx