Neil McEvoy AM 'tried to ambush care meeting about child'

A politician tried to "ambush" a therapy meeting involving a vulnerable child in care, a council panel heard.

Neil McEvoy, a Cardiff councillor and assembly member (AM), appeared at a hearing to answer claims he bullied staff responsible for the child.

It heard he attempted to attend a meeting between the child, their parents and a therapist.

But Mr McEvoy said he was invited and was acting for the family who feared their child had been assaulted in care.

His involvement led to contact between the child and their parents to be suspended, Cardiff council's standards and ethics sub-committee was told.

The South Wales Central AM, who is a former member of Plaid Cymru but now sits as an Independent, is being investigated over alleged breaches of the council's code of conduct.

The hearing was told Mr McEvoy had acted in a bullying way towards a person at the home who took a phone call from the politician.

The committee is considering a report into the matter by the Public Services Ombudsman Nick Bennett, after a complaint by the company that provided the residential place.

Chief legal advisor for the ombudsman, Kathryn Shaw, told the committee that Mr Bennett had received a complaint in April and May this year.

Mrs Shaw said the child had alleged they had been assaulted by a member of staff.

On 10 April the Fairwater councillor contacted the police, the hearing was told. That evening police visited the child and spoke to staff, but decided to take no further action.

The day after police had confirmed this the AM phoned the residence where the child was living, Mrs Shaw said.

She said the ombudsman felt Mr McEvoy had failed to show the person who took the call respect, and had been bullying and intimidating.

"It was felt that he had behaved inappropriately despite being told he was not named on the care plan and so could not have access to the child without council permission," the legal advisor told the committee.

On 11 May a therapy meeting was scheduled, Ms Shaw said. Mr McEvoy attended, asking the father of the child to record the staff members.

Mrs Shaw said a member of staff came out to speak to him to say the meeting could not go ahead.

The ombudsman felt comments made about the appearance of this member of staff failed to show respect, she added.

Irfan Alam, the former assistant director of children's services at the authority, giving evidence, said Mr McEvoy had "tried to ambush" the therapy meeting.

He said a councillor "trying to make contact with a children's home at the weekend is highly inappropriate".

"I can't overstate the impact he had, these children have extremely high levels of trauma," he said. "The parents are also vulnerable.

"He led them to believe they should never have been taken into care - that undermined the process. They struggled to engage - we had to suspend contact between the parents and children because it was so harmful."

But Mr McEvoy said Mr Alam had a "complete lack of credibility".

He accused Mr Alam of breaking data protection law by getting an update on the child's situation when he was no longer in post at Cardiff council.

"When I got involved there was no relationship between the family and the council. The father says because of help from me they are now starting to get answers from the council," Mr McEvoy said.

He added that he had wanted to attend the therapy meeting because the care provider was not aware of the child's special educational needs.

Mr McEvoy asked Mr Alam: "Do you accept the parents invited me and the social worker knew I was going to attend?"

Mr Alam said: "I cannot accept the social worker knew."

Mr McEvoy added: "I said I called for the suspension of the social worker. Can you confirm the reason... is the parents were told to sign a behaviour contract, not allowed to read it or take advice, told if they didn't they wouldn't be allowed to the the child. They refused. Contact was stopped."

Mr Alam replied: "That's completely incorrect."

Mr McEvoy also alleged the council had gone to court to get the care order with selective evidence.

The hearing continues.