MORE than a month after Pembrokeshire County Council was told to make amends for the way it had punished a woman who fought against her kids being wrongly placed on the 'at risk' register, that woman is still waiting.

An investigation by the Ombudsman into the way Stephanie Lawrence was treated resulted in a damning report and recommendations that the council:

* makes a full written apology to her * pays her £5000 * through Mrs Lawrence, apologise to the children * carry out formal review, with external assistance, of the lessons to be learned from the events in the report and implement the required changes.

Five weeks later, Mrs Lawrence hasn't heard a thing.

Despite the national publicity her case has received, Mrs Lawrence has received no apology, no apology for her children and no compensation. Mrs Lawrence said: "I think it's very much to be expected, and it's also expected by many people inside and outside Pembrokeshire. It's the norm. It's the continuation of a complete lack of respect."

Two weeks ago, council leader John Davies told the Mercury: "We have agreed to follow the recommendations set out by the Ombudsman in his report." He went on to state that arrangements had already been made to commission a review of the issues raised by the Ombudsman.

This week, however, the council released a statement to the Mercury, attributed to Cllr Davies, reading: "The process requires the Ombudsman's report to be formally reported to full council and this will be done. Before any action can be taken, the council will have to make a formal resolution to accept the findings."