A WELSH council boss has quit over a row about conducting an inquiry into a paedophile former headteacher.
Plaid Cymru’s Dyfrig Siencyn has announced he will stand down as leader of Gwynedd Council after he initially failed to apologise to the victims of convicted paedophile Neil Foden.
In July, former headteacher Foden was sentenced to 17 years in prison for sex offences against four girls. Mr Siencyn’s resignation comes after four members of the council quit the cabinet after an interview he gave to Welsh language broadcaster Newyddion S4C.
The four councillors called for a public inquiry and an independent review of the council’s processes.
Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn said: “It has been a privilege and an honour to lead Cyngor Gwynedd over the past seven years. I wish to express my sincere thanks to my fellow Cabinet members, elected members of all political groups and to Council staff for their friendship, commitment and tireless work for the people and communities of the county.
“I am also indebted to the other north Wales council leaders for their support for my work as chair of the North Wales Ambition Board and the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee. I also pay tribute to my fellow leaders of all political parties in the Welsh Local Government Association for their commitment to local government.
“I look back with pride at what we have achieved here at Cyngor Gwynedd over the past seven years. In particular, pioneering work has been done to secure homes for local people and to better manage second homes within the county; we have invested significantly in school buildings; UNESCO status has also been secured for our slate areas, resulting in significant funding which will bring new prosperity to these communities.
“It is also important to remember the heroic work done by the army of staff from across the Council, partners from the third sector, volunteers and communities to support the people of Gwynedd through the Covid crisis.
“I am also pleased that Cyngor Gwynedd has taken decisive action to safeguard our most vulnerable residents from the devastating effects of the cost of living crisis, while at the same time protecting key services from wave after wave of budget cuts.
“I must acknowledge that this most recent period – and the horrific information which has come to light about the unforgivable crimes of the paedophile Neil Foden – has been the most challenging for the Council as an authority and for myself as Leader.
“I am deeply sorry for the pain the victims and their families have gone through at the hands of this man, and they remain at the forefront of my mind.”
Councillor Beca Roberts, Chair of Cyngor Gwynedd, added: “I pay tribute to Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn for his work in leading the Council since 2017 and for being a strong and consistent voice for Welsh-speaking and rural communities regionally and nationally.
“I thank him for his friendship, experience and unwavering leadership over the years. I am sure he will have a further contribution to make to the work of the Council and to the public life of Wales in future.”
Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn will also step down from his role as chair of Ambition North Wales Board, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) Finance sub-group and co-chair of the Wales Rural Forum.
In accordance with the Council’s constitution, elected members will choose a new Leader at a meeting of the Full Council in due course.
In the meantime, Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Nia Jeffreys will take over the duties of Leader on an interim basis until permanent arrangements have been made.
In a joint statement last week, councillors Beca Brown, Berwyn Parry Jones, Dafydd Meurig and Elin Walker Jones said they were resigning “due to fundamental differences between [them] and the leadership regarding how to respond to what Foden did”.
“We wish to sincerely express our heartbreak and deepest apologies to the victims of sex offender Neil Foden for the horrific experiences they have had to endure because of him,” they added.
“We deeply regret that the council’s leadership issues have drawn attention from what is most important in this tragic situation – namely the suffering of the girls. Girls who went to school, and who were supposed to be safe.”
Responding Neil Foden, Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “I believe this resignation is the right decision.
“The victims should be at the very centre of this case, and their pain will stay with them .
“There must be a full inquiry to establish how Foden was able to get away with his appalling crimes for so long.”
