(A) NOTICE
OF MOTION BY COUNCILLOR BECA BROWN
In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, Councillor Beca Brown will propose as follows:-
We would like
to welcome the publication of the Child Practice Review on 4 November, noting
our deep thanks to chair, Jan Pickles, for her careful work, and so too to the
panel and to the North Wales Safeguarding Board.
We would
like to note the title of the report, which is Our Bravery Brought Justice. It
is important that we always acknowledge the title when discussing this report,
as it pays a well-deserved tribute to the bravery of children – children who
were supposed to be safe in their schools, and children who ended years of
horrific offending by one of the most powerful men in this county. We owe them
a great deal. Our thoughts are with them, and we thank them from the bottom of
our hearts for their remarkable determination and resilience.
We as a
council are committed to learning all the lessons that come from the report,
but beyond that, we are committed to looking at any relevant issues that have
fallen outside the remit of the CPR, which looked at the case of this offender
in the period from 2017 to September 2023.
We
therefore call on the Cabinet to consider what further independent
investigations are needed to address matters outside the boundaries of the CPR.
We are fully alert to the fact that further work needs to be done and ask the
Cabinet to work tirelessly to identify what is yet to be achieved.
We once
again express our sincere apologies to the children who have suffered harm, and
we pledge to leave no stone unturned to ensure, to the best of our ability,
that 'never again' means 'never again'
(B) NOTICE
OF MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NIA JEFFREYS
In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under
Section 4.19 of the Constitution, Councillor Nia Jeffreys will propose as
follows:-
Propose
that the Council
1. Notes: that suicide figures in Wales registered in 2024 were 15.7 per
100,000 people which was an increase on the figure for 2023, which was 14.0 per
100,000.
There are
several factors associated with suicide, including: poverty, unemployment,
mental and physical health problems, grief, abuse, loneliness, relationship
problems, alcohol and substance misuse etc.
We also note
that suicide is the leading cause of death of young people up to the age of 35
according to the Papyrus charity, because young people rarely die from other
causes.
Middle-aged
men between the ages of 30-44 in Wales are most likely to commit suicide. 76%
of deaths by suicide were men. There is a correlation between poverty and
suicide, with 15.8 in 100,000 suicides occurring in deprived areas, and 8.6 in
100,000 in the least deprived areas.
126.7 in
100,000 are unemployed.
Suicide is
preventable, and support is available.
2. Believes:
That the people of Wales have a right to live in communities that are free of
the fear and stigma that are associated with suicide and self-harm. We believe
that the people of Wales have a right to be empowered and supported to access
and offer support wherever they are needed (Welsh Government, 2025).
We all have
a role, as individuals and organisations, to support those affected by suicide.
We believe that the Council has a role to work with other stakeholders, to take
action to prevent suicide, reduce stigma, and offer support. We believe that the Council has a role to
play in taking concrete steps to protect our young people, empowering them to
look after themselves and others.
Principles-
Welsh Government's Suicide Prevention Strategy (Understanding: suicide and self-harm
prevention strategy):
1.
Self-harm and suicide are everyone's business, and everyone can make a
difference with the right training and support.
1.
It must be clear who leads on and is responsible for every action in the
strategy.
2.
The focus is on prevention, identifying risks early on and offering
appropriate support to keep people safe.
3.
Services should be fair and accessible to all, removing barriers that
affect different groups.
4.
There is a need to focus on groups that are higher risk, providing
proportionate and appropriate support.
5.
Anyone should be able to get help immediately ('no wrong door') without
having to repeat their story.
6.
The voices of people with lived experiences must be listened to and
individual-centred services must be co-planned.
7.
The strategy should support the Welsh language, ensuring that people are
cared for in their own language without having to ask.
8.
The actions must be evidence-based and their consequences clear.
9.
The work should be trauma-informed, providing compassionate and
empathetic care.
10. It is important to address stigma,
promoting understanding and compassion.
11. A rights-based approach should be
adopted, protecting the rights of all individuals.
12. The strategy must cover all ages,
ensuring that support is available to everyone from babies to older people.
13. The social and economic factors that
influence health and well-being should be recognised.
14. The role of digital technology
should be considered, where it can improve outcomes or sustainability.
15. Funding and resources must be made
available, testing what steps are realistic within the existing resources.
3. I call
on my fellow Members to support the motion.
(a)
That this Council declares firm support for the principles of the Welsh
Government's Suicide Prevention Strategy and supports the work of the Cabinet
to establish a strategy for Cyngor Gwynedd
(b) That members should do all they can
to ensure that the Council implements policies that support individuals,
prevent suicide, empowering the Council's structures
(c)
It supports opportunities in schools to discuss suicide as an aspect of
mental health discussions, in the context of personal and social education,
equipping our pupils to look after themselves and others in a sensitive way, by
teachers who are given the appropriate support, supervision and training to
provide such education.