AN INDEPENDENT expert’s latest report to Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet highlights encouraging progress in strengthening the county’s child safeguarding arrangements.
In addition, the Council’s Cabinet has adopted a newly revised Response Plan. The original plan was published following offences committed by a former school headteacher in the county, and it has now been reviewed and strengthened in line with detailed feedback from several committees and the Full Council.
Presenting her report, Professor Sally Holland said: “Strengthening safeguarding arrangements and embedding a child-centred, rights-based approach across a whole system takes time, sustained leadership, and requires careful scrutiny. I am encouraged by much of the progress being made and the willingness to learn and adapt.
“The programme is ambitious and will continue to demand senior staff time and other resources to be successful. The independent experts on the Board and I will continue to provide constructive support and robust oversight to Cabinet as this work progresses.”
Welcoming the two reports which will be presented to the Cabinet – namely, Professor Holland’s progress report and the revised Response Plan – Councillor Nia Jeffreys, Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd, said: “We are determined to ensure that the voices of young people are heard and that their experiences are taken seriously.
“The greatest tribute we can pay to the courage of the victims and survivors is the promise of taking action to implement change so that the failures highlighted in the Our Bravery Brought Justice report do not happen again.
“Today’s report by Professor Sally Holland and the formal adoption of the revised Response Plan and further important steps on the journey for Cyngor Gwynedd.”
Councillor Menna Trenholme, Deputy Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd and Cabinet Member for the Children and Family Support Department, added: “The Response Plan has already led to change but there is still a lot of work to be done.”
Councillor Dewi Jones, Cyngor Gwynedd Cabinet Member for Education, added: “The Cabinet is grateful to Professor Sally Holland for her latest report and to the members of the Response Board for their work, having this depth of experience and expertise in safeguarding around the table is of great help to the Council as we move forward.
“The new Response Plan includes new workstreams and the Response Board will continue to monitor progress.”
The two reports adopted by the Cabinet on March 10 can been seen here: Agenda for The Cabinet on Tuesday, 10th March, 2026, 1.00 pm
A simplified version of the Response Plan is available on Cyngor Gwynedd’s website: Response Plan Programme Board
