Dear editor, In the light of the shocking failures to safeguard children by Pembrokeshire County Council, as revealed in this week’s report, we consider the response by council Leader John Davies, to be totally inadequate.
The scathing joint report by the school watchdog Estyn and the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales, catalogues serious shortcomings by senior managers, and inadequate scrutiny with regard to Pembrokeshire County Council’s child safeguarding practices.
In addition to the flaws in the council’s procedures: failure to listen to children, or engage with parents; poor, or non-existent record keeping; lack of consultation with other agencies etc, etc, the report makes withering criticism of the undemocratic way the council is run.
It refers to meetings of the Chief Officer’s Management Board (COMB) where no minutes were kept; elected members being kept in the dark; cases being ignored unless they were likely to have a high media profile and damage the council’s reputation; no oversight of COMB by elected members, preventing members carrying out their key role of holding officers to account; and cronyism and cover-up.
Indeed, the authors of the report question whether the protecting children had to play second fiddle to protecting the reputation of the authority.
The Leader’s feeble response to this damning indictment is to set up a committee (Review and Improvement Board) chaired by himself and including Cllr Huw George, the cabinet member for children; and Cllr Danny Fellows, chairman of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
As it is the ineptitude and inertia of these three that are largely to blame for this situation, can the public have any confidence that they will objectively assess the evidence and come up with robust proposals?
We think not, and are currently taking steps to garner the signatures to force an extraordinary meeting of the council where these issues can be debated in full view of the public.
Mike Stoddart, member representing Hakin Ward, Milford Haven.
Viv Stoddart, member representing Hubberston Ward, Milford Haven.
Court Farm Liddeston Milford Haven
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