Latest news with #WLC
Pembrokeshire Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Adnodd launches new strategy and Innovation to transform education in Wales
A CALL for a vote of no confidence in Pembrokeshire's deputy leader, over claims he made 'unacceptable' comments about Welsh education in the county, is to be heard next week. Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy, along with Cllr Anji Tinley, Cllr Jamie Adams, Cllr Iwan Ward and Cllr Vanessa Thomas, have made a successful call for an Extraordinary Meeting of Council calling for a vote of no confidence in Councillor Paul Miller to remain as Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member. Expanding on his reasons for the call, Cllr Murphy said: 'Councillor Miller on April 28 at a Cabinet meeting moved an amendment with regards to Welsh Education Strategic Plan (WESP) to request officers collect data from parents of children electing a Welsh medium education when the Schools Admission Code does not provide for the collection of such data. 'At this meeting Cllr Miller commented with regards to parental choice for Ysgol Caer Elen: '…all of them that I know who send their children to Caer Ellen honestly couldn't give a toss whether it was Welsh or English'. 'Comments such as this in 2025 are unacceptable and serve to create a perception of bias when it comes to the delivery of Welsh medium education, something that generations have striven for, namely equality and fairness. 'For a Deputy Leader of Council to make such comments and then refuse to retract when he has had ample opportunity to do so makes his position untenable both as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member. 'This decision was successfully called in on May 14 by the Schools O&S Scrutiny Committee when officers again made clear that the collection of data requested by Cllr Miller was not within the scope of the Schools Admission Code and to pursue this course also has budgetary implications for the Authority. 'Cllr Miller following the Schools O&S Meeting made a public statement to reaffirm his position and accused the Welsh Language Commissioner (WLC) of an 'extraordinary political intervention' when he had no basis to make such a claim. The remit of the WLC allows her to pass expert opinion on matters such as Welsh education and language. 'Cabinet re-convened on May 21 and heard a proposal by Cllr Miller to now collect data on all languages and additional information and was again informed the Schools Admission Code did not provide for the collection of such data. Cllr Miller offered no apology with regards to his comments towards the WLC and again looked to blame others for the publicity that has arisen from this matter. 'Throughout the recent debate on WESP, Cllr Miller has ignored the views and advice of the Schools O&S Committee, Senior Officers, the Welsh Language Commissioner and even Mr Mark Drakeford his own Minister for the Welsh Language. 'Politicians at every level must demonstrate the capacity to acknowledge their mistakes, including errors in judgment, as we are all inherently human. In such situations, it is crucial for public trust that they engage in self-reflection, offer apologies when warranted, and adjust their political stance accordingly. 'Cllr Miller, however, has failed to apologise or recognise that others, such as senior officers and the WLC, may possess greater expertise on the matter at hand. Instead, he has chosen to deflect responsibility and blame others for the public scrutiny surrounding this issue. 'This has led to a request for a council meeting to propose a motion of no confidence in Cllr Miller's ability to continue serving as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member.' Responding, Cllr Miller has previously said: 'It must be the case it is at least possible some parents are choosing Welsh medium schools other than because of the medium of Welsh. It's currently unknown; surely it's right the council seeks to understand the impact of other forces.' He said Cllr Murphy was 'trying to make something out of nothing,' in 'a naked attempt to create outrage, trying to paint some in this council as anti-Welsh,' adding: 'Cllr Murphy should be deeply ashamed of his actions [after the first meeting] in trying to create artificial division in the county of Pembrokeshire.' The extraordinary meeting is to take place on the afternoon of June 2.
Pembrokeshire Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Pioneering Cadetship shortlisted for Maritime Award
A CALL for a vote of no confidence in Pembrokeshire's deputy leader, over claims he made 'unacceptable' comments about Welsh education in the county, is to be heard next week. Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy, along with Cllr Anji Tinley, Cllr Jamie Adams, Cllr Iwan Ward and Cllr Vanessa Thomas, have made a successful call for an Extraordinary Meeting of Council calling for a vote of no confidence in Councillor Paul Miller to remain as Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member. Expanding on his reasons for the call, Cllr Murphy said: 'Councillor Miller on April 28 at a Cabinet meeting moved an amendment with regards to Welsh Education Strategic Plan (WESP) to request officers collect data from parents of children electing a Welsh medium education when the Schools Admission Code does not provide for the collection of such data. 'At this meeting Cllr Miller commented with regards to parental choice for Ysgol Caer Elen: '…all of them that I know who send their children to Caer Ellen honestly couldn't give a toss whether it was Welsh or English'. 'Comments such as this in 2025 are unacceptable and serve to create a perception of bias when it comes to the delivery of Welsh medium education, something that generations have striven for, namely equality and fairness. 'For a Deputy Leader of Council to make such comments and then refuse to retract when he has had ample opportunity to do so makes his position untenable both as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member. 'This decision was successfully called in on May 14 by the Schools O&S Scrutiny Committee when officers again made clear that the collection of data requested by Cllr Miller was not within the scope of the Schools Admission Code and to pursue this course also has budgetary implications for the Authority. 'Cllr Miller following the Schools O&S Meeting made a public statement to reaffirm his position and accused the Welsh Language Commissioner (WLC) of an 'extraordinary political intervention' when he had no basis to make such a claim. The remit of the WLC allows her to pass expert opinion on matters such as Welsh education and language. 'Cabinet re-convened on May 21 and heard a proposal by Cllr Miller to now collect data on all languages and additional information and was again informed the Schools Admission Code did not provide for the collection of such data. Cllr Miller offered no apology with regards to his comments towards the WLC and again looked to blame others for the publicity that has arisen from this matter. 'Throughout the recent debate on WESP, Cllr Miller has ignored the views and advice of the Schools O&S Committee, Senior Officers, the Welsh Language Commissioner and even Mr Mark Drakeford his own Minister for the Welsh Language. 'Politicians at every level must demonstrate the capacity to acknowledge their mistakes, including errors in judgment, as we are all inherently human. In such situations, it is crucial for public trust that they engage in self-reflection, offer apologies when warranted, and adjust their political stance accordingly. 'Cllr Miller, however, has failed to apologise or recognise that others, such as senior officers and the WLC, may possess greater expertise on the matter at hand. Instead, he has chosen to deflect responsibility and blame others for the public scrutiny surrounding this issue. 'This has led to a request for a council meeting to propose a motion of no confidence in Cllr Miller's ability to continue serving as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member.' Responding, Cllr Miller has previously said: 'It must be the case it is at least possible some parents are choosing Welsh medium schools other than because of the medium of Welsh. It's currently unknown; surely it's right the council seeks to understand the impact of other forces.' He said Cllr Murphy was 'trying to make something out of nothing,' in 'a naked attempt to create outrage, trying to paint some in this council as anti-Welsh,' adding: 'Cllr Murphy should be deeply ashamed of his actions [after the first meeting] in trying to create artificial division in the county of Pembrokeshire.' The extraordinary meeting is to take place on the afternoon of June 2.
Western Telegraph
4 days ago
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Pembrokeshire council deputy chief 'unacceptable' words row
Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy, along with Cllr Anji Tinley, Cllr Jamie Adams, Cllr Iwan Ward and Cllr Vanessa Thomas, have made a successful call for an Extraordinary Meeting of Council calling for a vote of no confidence in Councillor Paul Miller to remain as Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member. Expanding on his reasons for the call, Cllr Murphy said: 'Councillor Miller on April 28 at a Cabinet meeting moved an amendment with regards to Welsh Education Strategic Plan (WESP) to request officers collect data from parents of children electing a Welsh medium education when the Schools Admission Code does not provide for the collection of such data. 'At this meeting Cllr Miller commented with regards to parental choice for Ysgol Caer Elen: '…all of them that I know who send their children to Caer Ellen honestly couldn't give a toss whether it was Welsh or English'. 'Comments such as this in 2025 are unacceptable and serve to create a perception of bias when it comes to the delivery of Welsh medium education, something that generations have striven for, namely equality and fairness. 'For a Deputy Leader of Council to make such comments and then refuse to retract when he has had ample opportunity to do so makes his position untenable both as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member. 'This decision was successfully called in on May 14 by the Schools O&S Scrutiny Committee when officers again made clear that the collection of data requested by Cllr Miller was not within the scope of the Schools Admission Code and to pursue this course also has budgetary implications for the Authority. 'Cllr Miller following the Schools O&S Meeting made a public statement to reaffirm his position and accused the Welsh Language Commissioner (WLC) of an 'extraordinary political intervention' when he had no basis to make such a claim. The remit of the WLC allows her to pass expert opinion on matters such as Welsh education and language. 'Cabinet re-convened on May 21 and heard a proposal by Cllr Miller to now collect data on all languages and additional information and was again informed the Schools Admission Code did not provide for the collection of such data. Cllr Miller offered no apology with regards to his comments towards the WLC and again looked to blame others for the publicity that has arisen from this matter. 'Throughout the recent debate on WESP, Cllr Miller has ignored the views and advice of the Schools O&S Committee, Senior Officers, the Welsh Language Commissioner and even Mr Mark Drakeford his own Minister for the Welsh Language. 'Politicians at every level must demonstrate the capacity to acknowledge their mistakes, including errors in judgment, as we are all inherently human. In such situations, it is crucial for public trust that they engage in self-reflection, offer apologies when warranted, and adjust their political stance accordingly. 'Cllr Miller, however, has failed to apologise or recognise that others, such as senior officers and the WLC, may possess greater expertise on the matter at hand. Instead, he has chosen to deflect responsibility and blame others for the public scrutiny surrounding this issue. 'This has led to a request for a council meeting to propose a motion of no confidence in Cllr Miller's ability to continue serving as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member.' Responding, Cllr Miller has previously said: 'It must be the case it is at least possible some parents are choosing Welsh medium schools other than because of the medium of Welsh. It's currently unknown; surely it's right the council seeks to understand the impact of other forces.' He said Cllr Murphy was 'trying to make something out of nothing,' in 'a naked attempt to create outrage, trying to paint some in this council as anti-Welsh,' adding: 'Cllr Murphy should be deeply ashamed of his actions [after the first meeting] in trying to create artificial division in the county of Pembrokeshire.' The extraordinary meeting is to take place on the afternoon of June 2.
Cision Canada
30-04-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Relativity Champions Access to Justice Through Digital Innovation
Celebrating innovation and impact, Relativity's Justice for Change program brings modern tools to pro bono legal work CHICAGO, /CNW/ -- Relativity, a global legal technology company, today announced that it is being honored for the recent work of its Justice for Change program, which empowers organizations seeking to positively impact social justice. Since the program's launch in 2020, there are now 200+ matters globally, over 7 million documents in Justice for Change workspaces, and more than 90 organizations involved or directly benefiting from Relativity's technology to enhance pro bono work. "Relativity is humbled to be recognized in both the 2025 Wiley A. Branton Awards and the 2025 Halo Awards," said Johnathan Hill, Global Program Manager for Social Impact and Community Engagement Lead at Relativity. "Through our Justice for Change program, we are helping address real barriers in the legal system—but we know we cannot do it alone. That is why collective action is so important; by working together to help legal organizations digitize their physical records, we are making space for greater access to justice. Relativity is proud to do this alongside our partners and the broader legal community." Harnessing breakthrough technology to drive meaningful change At the 2025 Wiley A. Branton Awards Luncheon, leaders from the bench, bar, media, government and public interest law community will gather to celebrate the accomplishments of the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC) and honor pro bono law firms and corporations that have promoted racial justice and economic equality. For their collaborative efforts to increase access to justice, WLC will present Relativity with the 2025 Corporate Citizen Leadership Award, which recognizes that justice and equality require a whole-of-society response. In 2024, WLC became a pro bono recipient of Relativity's software through the Justice for Change program, which provides qualifying organizations with 500GB worth of RelativityOne use among 10 users over 24 months. Justice for Change and Relativity's ecosystem partner, Epiq, provided WLC and a coalition of civil rights advocate organizations with software and dedicated technical support to help investigate for their January 2024 report, entitled Targeted, Labeled, Criminalized: Early Findings on the District of Columbia's Gang Database. The production of the report required WLC to obtain and review thousands of documents, which were housed on Relativity's platform at no cost. The report highlights that the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department's Gang Tracking and Analysis System is inaccurate, racially discriminatory, and lacks procedural safeguards for the civil liberties of DC's Black and Brown residents. The authors aim to address the surveillance system's fundamental flaws and take immediate steps to reduce its racially disparate impact. The report sparked media discussion about the database's unreliable intelligence, revealing that membership often reflects race and zip code more than criminality. The list of 1,951 labeled as "gang members" or "associates" frequently includes people without specific suspicion of criminal activity. Ultimately, the public scrutiny surrounding the problematic nature of the database led to a reduction in the database size by nearly 50 percent. "Justice for Change made it possible for us to effectively manage the gang database project," said Ryan Downer, Legal Director at Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. "Without the benefit of Relativity, we would have been at a huge disadvantage. Our partnership with Justice for Change gave us the support we needed to get the job done." In addition, Relativity, Epiq and WLC were recently named Silver Winners at the 2025 Halo Awards, which honors excellence in corporate social impact. For 23 years, the Halo Awards have recognized the most innovative and effective partnerships between companies and nonprofits, highlighting initiatives that go beyond good intentions to deliver measurable impact for both business and society. Relativity, Epiq and WLC's collaboration through the Justice for Change program was awarded in the Best Technology for Good Initiative category, which recognizes initiatives that demonstrate impactful and innovative use of technology to address social challenges, driving positive change and sustainable solutions. "The WLC is doing important work. It's an honor to provide WLC with Relativity access and expertise, and to ensure they realize successful outcomes," said Doug Mazlish, Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances and Business Operations at Epiq. "We're inspired by the positive impact that Relativity and the Justice for Change program are making, and the partnership we continue to build." Partnering to bridge the digital divide in legal aid While assisting WLC with an internal project, Relativity identified a key challenge for current and prospective pro bono participants. Often, organizations' hesitation to adopt e-discovery solutions is not due to complexity or use case, but because many are still constrained by paper documents. Throughout its 56-year history, WLC accumulated hundreds of boxes of hard-copy client files, occupying precious office space and forcing the organization to rent warehouse storage at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars annually. Upon hearing of this burden, the Justice for Change team coordinated with a vendor to begin converting the paper files into electronic files. Relativity's assistance is expected to generate significant long-term savings for WLC, including approximately $50,000 per year in off-site storage costs. For often under-resourced pro bono organizations, such savings have the potential to support the hiring of additional staff or enhance internal operations to better serve their mission. To formalize and scale this work, Relativity launched an initiative aimed at helping pro bono legal organizations digitize their paper records and transition to modern, more accessible workflows that ultimately aid in case management. In partnership with Page One, a provider of e-discovery and litigation support services, Relativity has helped digitize documents for two Justice for Change pro bono recipients to date: Innocence Project and WLC. In the first month of the project, Page One scanned approximately 84,000 pages. Through this collaboration, Relativity donated approximately $40,000 in 2024 to scan more than 100,000 documents and has committed additional funds to expand the program's efforts. "When Relativity asked us to support their Justice for Change initiative, we jumped in immediately—within a week, we were onsite determining what needs to be scanned," said Ashley Price, Litigation Support Specialist at Page One, Inc. "Helping groups like the Washington Lawyers' Committee and the Innocence Project go digital aligns perfectly with Page One's mission to make a meaningful impact through our expertise." "The resources we received from Justice for Change helped the Innocence Project and our lead counsel partners at the Hawai'i Innocence Project win a client's exoneration and freedom after 23 years of wrongful incarceration. They also assisted the Innocence Center in their successful representation of our client's brother," said Barry Scheck, Co-Founder and Special Counsel at the Innocence Project. "The case file was enormous, and our teams were working thousands of miles apart. Relativity tools and training saved us precious time—time that ultimately amounted to fewer days in prison and more time as a free man for our innocent client. We are immeasurably grateful for Relativity's support." In collaboration with partners like Page One and Epiq, Relativity is investing in the transformation of pro bono work by helping nonprofit organizations reduce costs, improve efficiency, optimize staff resources and adopt cutting-edge solutions. Technology partners interested in learning more or participating in this initiative should reach out to [email protected]. About Relativity Relativity makes software to help users organize data, discover the truth and act on it. Its SaaS product, RelativityOne, manages large volumes of data and quickly identifies key issues during litigation and internal investigations. Relativity has more than 300,000 users in approximately 40 countries serving thousands of organizations globally primarily in legal, financial services and government sectors, including the U.S. Department of Justice and 198 of the Am Law 200. Please contact Relativity at [email protected] or visit for more information.
