Authority is 'determined to learn lessons' over paedophile teacher case

AN UPDATE on the latest measures taken to investigate and respond to the horrific crimes committed by paedophile Neil Foden has been given to councillors by a Welsh council - but is leader says "there is more to be done".

- By DALE SPRIDGEON

Foden, 66, of Old Conwy, was jailed for 17 years in July last year, after being convicted of sexually abusing four young girls. The crimes happened while he was the headteacher of Ysgol Friars in Bangor.

Cyngor Gwynedd has pledged to leave “no stone unturned” in its search for answers, to learn and improve on its procedures, to “keep young people in Gwynedd safe”.

It had employed a specialist safeguarding barrister Genevieve Woods to look into the council’s handling of the case, and specific incidents in 2019, which were highlighted during Neil Foden’s criminal trial.

Her report also fed into the independent investigation of the statutory Child Practice Review, led by Jan Pickles and carried out by the North Wales Safeguarding Board, which is nearing completion.

Councillors and key stakeholders had been informed this week over responses to the barrister's recommendations, progress on work streams and details concerning the various internal investigations.

Recommendations had included how the council is now making arrangements and implementing a new system to investigate safeguarding concerns.

This included putting in arrangements to deal with the concerns that don’t “meet formal child safeguarding thresholds”.