Neil Foden: Independent review call after paedophile head jailed

The leader of Cyngor Gwynedd has refused to apologise to the victims of Neil Foden.

It comes after more allegations were made about the ex-headteacher and paedophile who was sentenced to 17 years in prison for sexually abusing four children in north Wales between 2019 and 2023.

Dyfrig Siencyn said he does not support calls from senior members of his party for a public inquiry of the council’s processes.

However, Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville-Roberts said it has an “obligation and need” to examine its child safeguarding processes in order to restore public trust.

In an interview with Newyddion S4C, Mr Siencyn refused to apologise on behalf of the council to victims, despite more allegations being made since Foden was jailed.

He said: “We need to deal with this early and quickly, and I think the Child Practice Review is the best way to do this.

“A public inquiry would take years. But if there is a public inquiry – if that decision is made – then we will welcome it.”

But he acknowledged there are questions to be answered, saying he is “confident those questions will be answered” and all evidence presented.

He added: “There is total agreement about the need to find out what went wrong and if anything within our processes went wrong.

“There’s no doubt about the need to get to the bottom of this problem and we will leave no stone unturned to find those answers.”

Mr Siencyn said that “independent reviews have been completed and our cabinet will be discussing the need for any kind of investigation into any processes which need to be looked at”.

Cyngor Gwynedd has a duty of care to children and should be subject to an independent review, according to Liz Saville-Roberts.

The Welsh government said it was waiting for the conclusion of the already underway Children’s Practice Review before deciding on any further action.

Cyngor Gwynedd, or Gwynedd council, said it is contributing fully to the review and an independent review was needed to understand what went wrong.

The call for a review comes in addition to the growing demand for a full public inquiry, which would force witnesses to contribute to the process.

Foden, 66, was jailed for 17 years for abusing four children between 2019 and 2023, but the BBC Wales Investigates programme recently reported further accusations that mean his abuse could have spanned 40 years.

During the court case, it became clear senior staff had raised concerns about Foden’s “close relationship” with teenage girls in 2019 – warning he could be at risk of accusations.

The concerns were shared with Cyngor Gwynedd, but a decision was made not to hold a formal investigation.

The court case heard from the former head of education at Cyngor Gwynedd, Garem Jackson.

He claimed he had made a senior safeguarding officer aware of the concerns, but had been advised there was no need for a formal investigation, as no official complaint had been made.

BBC Wales understands four members of staff were part of the decision not to investigate.

Three of those are still employed by Cyngor Gwynedd.

Mr Jackson has said safeguarding is a “key priority”, and that it was usual practice to discuss with the appropriate officer, and to follow their advice if any concerns were raised.

Ms Saville Roberts said: “I feel very strongly that we have a duty of care to the children who are in the Gwynedd education system at the moment – Ysgol Friars and other schools, their parents and their communities.

“There is therefore a duty on Cyngor Gwynedd to commission a review of their current child protection processes, and for that to be an independent review.

“We have, as a group of councillors, called for an independent review. I expect the leadership of Cyngor Gwynedd to act on that demand from the group for an independent review.”

Ms Saville Roberts refused to defend or support the leadership of Cyngor Gwynedd and the way it has dealt with the situation, after being asked to clarify her position.

She said: “I have a duty to act on behalf of the public. I want the public to have confidence in the council and I am looking for evidence to prove that now.”

The MP also called for the former headmaster’s pension to be pulled.

“I and a number of Members of Parliament in the north-west support the NASUWT teachers’ union which is putting pressure on the minister for education at Westminster, because they are responsible for pensions, and withdrawing Neil Foden’s public pension,” she said.

“If his offences have undermined the public’s confidence in a public service, there is room to question whether his pension can be forfeited. I think that is an absolutely necessary step.”

The UK and Welsh governments and the council were contacted but it remains unclear who is responsible for deciding the future of Foden’s pension.