Council will need ‘more staff’ to deal with extra work following review into crimes of paedophile headteacher

Dale Spridgeon, local democracy reporter

A Welsh council will need more staff to deal with increased workloads following the outcome of a statutory review into the crimes of paedophile headteacher Neil Foden.

Child protection expert Professor Sally Holland told Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet the result of the Child Practice Review (CPR) is expected to be published in September, and the outcomes are likely to be “significant”.

Professor Holland, former Children’s Commissioner for Wales and a leading authority in child protection, was presenting her first quarterly report as the independent Chair of the Crime Response Plan Programme Board.

Work stemming from the Response Plan runs parallel to the CPR investigation, which is a statutory process led by Jan Pickles, OBE, and is being undertaken by the North Wales Safeguarding Board.

The Review aims to identify steps that can be taken by the safeguarding board partners, such as the local authority, police, health or other bodies to achieve improvements in multi-agency child protection practice.

‘Flat out’

Cyngor Gwynedd chief executive Dafydd Gibbard said council staff were already working “flat out” dealing with extra work created by the situation.

Foden, from Old Colwyn, was imprisoned for 17 years after being convicted of sexually abusing four girls over a four-year period.

He was the head of Ysgol Friars in Bangor and strategic head of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, in Penygroes

During the meeting, Council leader Cllr Nia Jeffreys acknowledged and thanked the survivors and victims for their “bravery,” saying they were always at the “forefront” of their minds, as they discussed this “difficult” topic.

She recently pledged the council would leave “no stone unturned” to keep children safe and prevent anything like Foden’s crimes happening again.

The council is currently changing its work streams and procedures. Professor Holland’s report described how 32 of 63 work tasks had been completed.

Measures included tasks such as hiring of an interim head, Margaret Davies, at Ysgol Friars.

‘Breach of trust’

Professor Holland said the Response Plan had come about because of the “breach of trust and the criminal offences by a headteacher employed by the council.

“Abuse of this nature often includes the exploitation of power held over others; this includes age, sex and status,” she said.

“It’s essential the council ensures it has invested in all its systems and working methods to prevent any incidents like this happening again in the future”.

She noted “willingness” among the officers and elected members to make genuine changes and to listen to advice and accept scrutiny.

“The Board is aware the Child Practice Review will be published in September, and all the board members expect it to be significant, my next report will update you on this,” she said.

“This work is essential but is very heavy in terms of council resources, and the board has noted further resources will be needed for the essential work after the Child Practice Review is published.

Cllr Huw Wyn Jones asked what resources were required.

Professor Holland replied it was about “people” and that the situation had already presented “a lot of additional work” load for officers, not just those at the most senior level, in the CEO ‘s executive team, who were”working flat out” but also in departments such as education, social services, etc.

“They are working really hard, and we know when the CPR comes that work will increase,” she added.

Mr Gibarrd said they would have to”step up” their response.

“When the CPR report comes, there will be a great number of recommendations, we have to be aware and prepare, we have always tried to be open and transparent.

“The current staffing levels just won’t do it, it won’t allow us to respond appropriately enough .

“The past year or 18 months, has seen officers across several departments are trying to cope with this response and also carry on with everything else the council is meant to be doing, and that will not be sustainable, when we see the extra recommendations come out in September. we are planning for that

“It is not about finance, the Cabinet says it will provide finance, it is more of a people resource, as Sally has said, we will need to find the right people for the roles to deal with this.

“We will need to increase our resources, and take a further step change to deal with the host of recommendations that will come our way in September”.