(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.
Decision:
Item 11
(a): NOTICE OF MOTION FROM COUNCILLOR
BECA BROWN
In
accordance with the Notice of Motion received in accordance with Section 4.19 of
the Constitution, a motion was received from Councillor Beca Brown proposing 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 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'.
Item 11
(b): NOTICE OF MOTION FROM COUNCILLOR NIA JEFFREYS
In accordance with the Notice of Motion received in
accordance with 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.
2. It must be clear who leads on and is responsible
for every action in the strategy.
3. The focus is on prevention, identifying risks early
on and offering appropriate support to keep people safe.
4. Services should be fair and accessible to all,
removing barriers that affect different groups.
5. There is a need to focus on higher risk groups,
providing proportionate and appropriate support.
6. Anyone should be able to get help immediately ('no
wrong door') without having to repeat their story.
7. The voices of people with lived experiences must be
listened to and individual-centres services must be co-planned.
8. The strategy should support the Welsh language,
ensuring that people are cared for in their own language without having to ask.
9. The actions must be evidence-based and their
consequences clear.
10. The work should be trauma-informed, providing
compassionate and empathetic care.
11. It is important to address stigma, promoting
understanding and compassion.
12. A rights-based approach should be adopted,
protecting the rights of all individuals.
13. The strategy must cover all ages, ensuring that
support is available to everyone from babies to older people.
14. The social and economic factors that influence
health and well-being should be recognised.
15. The role of digital technology should be
considered, where it can improve outcomes or sustainability.
16. 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.
Minutes:
The following notice of motion was submitted by Councillor Beca Brown under Section 4.19 of the
Constitution and it was seconded. The member set out the context to her motion, noting:-
·
That
it took a village to bring up a child, with the intention of protecting the
children. She emphasised that everyone, both officers and Councillors, were a
part of the village and had a responsibility to commit to be a voice for those
without a voice and a shoulder for those who were most vulnerable.
·
When
adults abused the most vulnerable in society, i.e. children, it destroyed lives.
·
It
was emphasised that the young girls had been the brave ones here, not the adults.
·
It
was vowed that child protection was at the heart of this work, and if there was
concern, "think the unthinkable", as noted by Jan Pickles.
·
The
proposal clearly noted that the publication of the report was only the
beginning of the work, and that there was a need to work together to be a
county where people who wished to turn to the Council were aware that their voice was heard and that action was taken, and to be the county that the children
deserved.
The motion was
supported, noting:-
·
An
apology to the children and they were thanked for their bravery. Unfortunately,
and with a heavy heart, the council had seriously failed in several ways. It
was noted that there were clear themes where children's voices had not been
listened to. It was expressed that there was a need to be alert to and to know how to respond effectively to
safeguarding matters.
·
The
need to carry out a self-assessment again was noted, since we as a Council had
fallen short of our statutory duties.
·
It
was expressed that there was a need to revisit processes as well as the Council’s attitude to processes as it had been highlighted as a clear
failure in the Child Practice Review.
·
The
seriousness of the report was emphasised, and important themes running through
the report were highlighted, such as consistent failures to follow the
child protection guidelines correctly and a failure to identify transferrable
risks.
·
Further
potential investigations were noted, which included investigations to see
whether the Council's response was sufficient and prompt and investigate the
roles of other agencies in the case.
·
The
need to look at the relationship between the Education Department, School Governors and the School, as this had failed in Friars,
emphasising how it looked in the real world, and thus ensuring the correct
culture.
·
It
was asked that Safeguarding training to be carried out by external specialists,
and it was not done in-house.
·
It
was noted that the Cabinet would be looking at what investigations needed to be
carried out and that they were done independently.
·
It
was emphasised that the Council had let families and children down and had
broken the trust of parents sending their children to school.
·
It
was expressed that this had not started in 2027, but rather 44 years ago when
he had started to work in the field. It was noted that several concerns had
been highlighted and that nothing had been done, despite the complaints being
raised.
·
A
request was made for Jan Pickles to come to the Council to assist with the way forward.
·
Concern
was expressed about having a
single group serving on the Cabinet, and for one group chairing the
majority of Scrutiny Committee as well as performance challenging, emphasising
the need to listen on a cross-party basis.
·
A
duty on all the members to collaborate and move on from this awful chapter. But
there was a long road ahead of the Council.
·
Members
were thanked for raising the matter today, noting concerns about being slow
when dealing with an issue, as well as lack of clinical focus on the
organisational procedures. It was expressed that this raised concerns about
confidence in the Council's leadership.
·
A
member asked whether there was a risk that Welsh Government would place the
Council under special measures as a result of this and Article 4. It was explained that the Council
was accountable to the Government's Assurance Board, which had been happy with
the progress made, and that the Council had committed in full to ensure that
this did not happen again.
RESOLVED to adopt the motion, namely:-
In line with the Notice of Motion received in accordance with Section 4.19
of the Constitution, a motion was received from Councillor Beca Brown proposing
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'.
11(b) NOTICE OF
MOTION FROM COUNCILLOR NIA JEFFREYS
The following
notice of motion was submitted by Councillor Nia Jeffreys under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, and it was
seconded. The member set out the context to her motion, noting:-
·
That
it was a self-explanatory motion which had been drawn up skilfully by another member of
the Council and support to it was sought.
The motion was
supported, noting:-
·
That
the facts showed a concerning increase and that social factors such
as loneliness played a prominent part.
·
It
was emphasised that there was a key role for the Council to empower people and
the Council was encouraged to work with partners such as schools, charities,
and community organisations, to strengthen the response and support for the
residents of Gwynedd.
·
Attention
was drawn to two important countryside bodies, which offered specific support
to agriculture and local businesses.
RESOLVED to adopt
the motion, namely:-
In line with the Notice of Motion received in accordance with 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. Believe: 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.
2.
It must be clear who leads on and is
responsible for every action in the strategy.
3.
The focus is on prevention, identifying risks early on and offering appropriate support to keep
people safe.
4.
Services should be fair and accessible to all, removing barriers that affect different
groups.
5.
There is a need to focus on higher risk groups, providing proportionate and appropriate
support.
6.
Anyone should be able to get help immediately ('no wrong door') without having to repeat their
story.
7.
The voices of people with lived experiences must be listened to and
individual-centres services must be co-planned.
8.
The strategy should support the Welsh language, ensuring that people are cared
for in their own language without having to ask.
9.
The actions must be evidence-based and their consequences clear.
10.
The work should be trauma-informed, providing compassionate and empathetic
care.
11.
It is important to address stigma, promoting understanding and compassion.
12.
A rights-based approach should be adopted, protecting the rights of all
individuals.
13.
The strategy must cover all ages, ensuring that support is available to
everyone from babies to older people.
14.
The social and economic factors that influence health and well-being should be
recognised.
15.
The role of digital technology should be considered, where it can improve
outcomes or sustainability.
16.
Funding and resources must be made available, testing what steps are realistic
within the existing resources.
4.
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.
1.