Slammed: Every Powys Children Services & County Council worker has been requested to stand down within 72 hours and a petition has been launched asking for a public inquiry to be held into their failings and the reported Llangammarch farmhouse fire which resulted in five child deaths just two weeks after the under fire authorities were given 90 days to improve by the Welsh Government following a highly critical CCSSIW inspection.
Powys City Council and Social Services are sure to face more questions after five children who had previously been in care were reported dead in the Llangammarch Wells farmhouse fire just two weeks after the Government slammed the local authorities in a report following a huge investigation into the ‘manipulation of data’ by Powys Children Services leading to “serious concerns” of missed opportunities to safeguard children leaving them at risk.
The CSSIW report, added: “The lack of assessment, intervention and support, together with poor follow-up and oversight has and is placing children at considerable risk.”.
Father of 17 David Cuthbertson and five of his children are reported to of died in the house fire just after midnight on Monday, October, 30, 2017, in the remote Powys Village.
Reports claim the 68 year old father was overcome by fumes after saving three children, 10, 12, 13, by throwing them out of an upstairs window fatally leaving behind a four year old infant who will of been unable to escape unaided.
Others ‘believed’ dead are aged up to eleven years old with all children placed in separate care homes during a custody battle after their mother, Seema Khan, suffered a stroke and moved away to near by Builth Wells.
The Child Services system was already under severe fire from the Welsh Government after an investigation by the CCSSIW began amidst reports of serious misconduct and failing to disclose correct results as they hid potential cases of child abuse by misreporting and documenting data as “deep seated problems” were covered up.
The Welsh Government had given the local authority 90 days to improve just two weeks before the alleged fire In Llangammarch Wells.
Child protection specialist Dr Ray Jones, seen in the video above suggested it should step in before the three month deadline.
This fire and the failure to safeguard the children reported dead means I am now calling for all Powys County Council and Powys Child Services personnel to stand down and for a public inquiry to be launched into the severe negligence of Powys Council and workers after more child deaths.
The UK’s most untrusted Council has not only let the children of Powys down, they have also cost the taxpayer dearly with mistakes resulting in a record fine of £130.000 after a breach of the Data Protection Act following Separate reports of child protection cases being sent to the same shared printer and being mistakenly picked up.
Members of the public are growing increasingly frustrated with the failing local authorities.
Mystery surrounding the alleged fire has been subject of a five week civilian investigation into the events on the night of the fire with questions being raised against the ‘official story’ as more and more factors remain unexplained and seemingly not adding up.
Most notably regarding the house itself which upon simple observations does not appear to of been lived in.
Questions are raised after a lack of household items can be seen in the remains of the 200-year-old farmhouse after the pre-Halloween fire.
A JustGiving page set up in the aftermath of the reported events in Llangammarch Wells has reached over £23.000 pounds with most of that being pledged during the first couple of weeks following the incident.
It was set up by Sian Davies and questions must also be asked about the fundraising campaigns authenticity.
Members of Llangammarch Wells Community Council have also been asked to hand in resignations within 72 hours.
Llangammarch Community Council Chair and Voluntary Lib Dem worker Anne Woods has been asked directly to stand down from all influential roles but she promptly refused.
Anne Woods replied to my request and failed to see the seriousness of the whole incident.
A petition has been started to request a public inquiry into the events in Llangammarch.
Freedom of information requests have been placed with all relevant departments including emergency services involved in the reported incident.
There are many factors contributing to this shocking County Council and Child Services misconduct but now they defaulted yet again and this time it can not be ignored.
Were the Llangammarch farmhouse children properly monitored?
Did Powys County Council and Child Services let these children down just two weeks after being given 90 days to improve or face further action from the Welsh Government?
These are just a few of the many questions which must be asked regarding the events on Poityn Farm in Wales on October, 30, 2017.
Please sign the petition and help us get the truth revealed on this mysterious incident.
Here is a link to the downloadable PDF of the CCSSIW inspection report with full details of the failings of Powys County Council and Child Services.
OTHER RELATED LINKS & SOURCES
17 October 2017 | Powys council talk to police over children’s services data: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-41651441
18 October 2017 | Report into Powys children’s services prompts takeover call: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-41659780
29 November 2017 | A councillor is facing calls to resign over allegations he used a neighbour’s water pipe to supply a holiday home: https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/mid-wales/2017/11/29/calls-for-councillor-to-step-down-after-water-supply-allegations/#5fRc2vdOOvjA1QXp.99
8 April 2013 | Systemic abuse was uncovered in six Welsh care homes, claims MP
An investigation into neglect in six Welsh care homes uncovered “systemic abuse”, an MP has claimed: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/systemic-abuse-uncovered-six-welsh-2513464
6 December 2011 | Record £130,000 child data error fine for Powys council: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-16057889
30 October 2017 | Llangammarch Wells fire JustGiving fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tragicfiredonation
