Welsh Conservatives raise ‘serious doubts’ over credibility of watchdog review
Sinead Cook, one of its investigators, resigned last week after allegedly making anti-Conservative remarks on social media.
Last updated 11th Apr 2024
Welsh Conservatives have raised “serious doubts” over the credibility of a review into Wales’s public services watchdog.
Following allegations of political bias, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) announced on Tuesday there would be an independent review of the organisation, to “ensure its code of conduct processes are sound”.
Sinead Cook, one of its investigators, resigned last week after allegedly making anti-Conservative remarks on social media.
Ahead of her resignation, the organisation – which investigates complaints made by the public about public bodies, and councillors who are accused of breaking their code of conduct in Wales – had suspended Ms Cook, pending an investigation.
The Tories in the Senedd are now questioning the credibility of the review, arguing that James Goudie KC, the senior barrister who will carry it out, has links to the Labour Party going back over 50 years.
But the PSOW insists Mr Goudie has worked for councils of all political colours.
Mr Goudie previously stood for the party in a parliamentary election in Brent North in London in 1974 and was the Labour leader of Brent Council from 1977-1978.
He also co-chairs the human rights sub-group of the Society of Labour Lawyers, which provides legal and policy advice to the party.
Sam Rowlands MS, Welsh Conservative shadow minister for local government, said: “The appointment of James Goudie KC to lead the review into the Public Services Ombudsman raises serious doubts about its credibility.
“The barrister undertaking this investigation is a former Labour council leader, former Labour candidate and a former chair of the Society of Labour lawyers.
“How can we expect a review under these circumstances to have the confidence of the public with such a barrister leading it?”
However, a spokesperson for PSOW has insisted Mr Goudie has not been politically active for many years.
They said: “James Goudie KC is an eminent independent barrister, has been called to the Bar since 1970 and took silk in 1984.
“He has not been politically active for over 45 years.
“During this time he has worked in public law and local government in Wales and England and has worked for councils of all political persuasion, including those which have been led by Conservative, Labour and Independent administrations.”
The spokesperson did not respond to questions over whether Mr Goudie’s links to Labour were known before he was selected to carry out the review.
In a statement on Tuesday, the ombudsman, Michelle Morris, accepted the PSOW needed to “rebuild trust in the work of the organisation on complaints against councillors”.
David TC Davies, Secretary of State for Wales, had previously criticised Ms Cook’s “vicious” social media posts and called for the ombudsman to be replaced by something “truly independent”.
“I welcome the resignation of the senior investigator at the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales after being caught making hateful online comments,” he said.
“But we now need every case which she oversaw to be reopened and fully reinvestigated.
“Every single case that has been put to the ombudsman since Ms Cook was investigating needs to be looked at by someone independent.”