Saturday 12 April 2008

Intro

I have decided to write this blog so that I can tell my story and share my experiences of working for the States of Jersey. If you wish to make a comment or ask a question, please could you either use your real name or create a name to ensure anonymity. This will allow other users and myself to identify how many people are leaving comments and create a forum where we can have a meaningful dialogue amongst users. The aim of my blog is to talk about my experiences as manager of the Greenfields Centre and hopefully it will encourage other people who have had difficult experiences working for the States of to tell their own stories. It is time for change. Whilst there are thousands of happy States of Jersey employees there are also a significant number who have had their lives turned upside down through an abuse of power and a culture of stamping out those who challenge the status quo. Issues such as these need to be addressed and this can only be done if people stand up and be counted so that the States of Jersey have no choice but to listen and to make the necessary changes.

My employment tribunal was settled part way through. My view - it was settled just before the evidence that I was giving started to raise serious questions about the conduct of some very senior civil servants within Health and Social Services, Education, Sport and Culture, Home Affairs and the Chief Ministers Department.

My story will make reference to the following people:

Joe Kennedy - Manager of Secure and Residential Services (currently suspended following evidence given at the employment tribunal)
Phil Dennett - Coordinator of the Children's Executive
Linda Dodds - Child Protection Team Manager
Tony Le Sueur - Head of the Children's Service
Marnie Baudains - Directorate Manager of Social Services
Micheala Clifford - Head of Health and Social Services Human Resources
Madeleine Davies - Human Resources Business Partner for Education Sport and Culture
Mario Lundy - Former Assistant Director of Education, Sport and Culture (Now Director)
Mike Pollard - Chief Executive for Health and Social Services
Tom McKeon - Former Director of Education, Sport and Culture
Steven Austin-Vautier - Chief Executive of Home Affairs
Mick Pinel - Head of Human Resources for Chief Ministers Department
Bill Ogley - Chief Executive of Chief Ministers Department
Frank Walker - Chief Minister

I know there are many people who will have unanswered questions about my case but I really want to tell the story from start to finish in a chronological order. If however you have any questions that you wish to ask me I will do my best to answer them in due course.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Simon,
why did you let *them* shut you up and settle out of court?
Stuart said he was keen to give evidence.

Anonymous said...

Simon

Your story interests me greatly and I would like to ask a lot of questions.

Could you perhaps provide instructions on your blog in regard to keeping an identity hidden.

Many other people will be reassured and the online chat will be enhanced

Anonymous said...

Hi Simon,

Please don't take this the wrong way, I just want a straight answer to a straight question:

Your blog is called "Simon Bellwood - The Whistleblower". When your tribunal was settled, you released a joint statement with the States of Jersey to the effect that "Mr Bellwood also wishes to clarify that he personally has never alleged, and does not now claim, that he was dismissed because of any so-called whistleblowing on his part".

This is reported at http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2008/03/12/107590/jersey-inquiry-promised-as-simon-bellwood-case-settles.html and http://www.thisisjersey.com/news/showarchive.pl?ArticleID=101383&year=2008&category=news

What is the truth? Quite frankly, I'm confused. An explanation, on your blog, would certainly help me to understand your situation more.

Regards
Alex

Anonymous said...

From Zoompad

I am Zoompad and I was abused in a Staffordshire Pindown "home" nearly 40 years ago. I have been kicked around all over the place by one person after another. I have been trying to tell about how I was treated for all this time, but people do not want to listen. I have had all kinds of drugs thrown at me, and all kinds of unsuitable treatment offered me, but all I ever really needed and wanted is for someone to please explain to me why I was treated so shamefully in the first place. I was only put in care in the first place as a "place of safety", as I had been sexually abused from the age of 11 by my brother, who was also a sexual abuse victim.

No-one wants to talk about it, they Police have treated me with virtual contempt, the way it has all been pushed under the mat is disgusting.

I have written to every newspaper, every MP, and not a one will help me. Not only that, I have discovered that the government allowed a paedophile to influence an important government consultation document on child protection, it is in their own Hansard library, and yet not a single one of them will lift a finger to do anything about it. Bridget Prentice tried to decieve me over this issue in a letter to me.

Anonymous said...

Are you aware ,that we and all states employees are being told that it was you who asked for the court case to be halted?

Anonymous said...

Simon

Find your voice and to hell with them?

Stand for election

Anonymous said...

How high up does this go, and how deep have they sunk? How low can low be I hear you say as low as to drag hells breath from the depths of fire and torment.

Who was involved, complicit to ready the quickened pulse, to sweat the beads of the captured then hung?

With payment in young flesh their reward for deeds done hidden for eye of by blinding sun betwixt two mirrors of letters and fame

They play at life like it’s theirs to change to break apart in ways so strange; tears are all expelled in this place we dwelled.