CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Council reaches settlement with victims of alleged paedophile

A council has agreed to pay eight victims of an alleged paedophile in an out-of-court settlement.

A council has agreed to pay eight victims of an alleged paedophile in an out-of-court settlement.

The eight men were allegedly abused by Jon Styler when he was a headteacher in schools in Newport and Worcestershire in the 1970s and 1980s.

Mr Styler denied the allegations and committed suicide in 2007.

He was originally appointed by Newport County Borough Council before his employment was transferred to Gwent County Council.

Neither of these organisations exist now so Newport City Council was left the responsibility to deal with any claims.

A council spokesman said: ‘We can confirm settlements have been agreed in some cases but it would be inappropriate to comment further as two other cases are pending.

‘However, we would like to stress that the allegations in relation to Mr Styler are historical, and there are no links between the schools where he taught many decades ago and those schools today.'

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Top Talent: Regeneration and Growth

02 July 2025

As part of our regular series on ‘rising stars’, we celebrate the regeneration and growth officers who have been nominated by their councils for having an im...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Councils using planning time extensions 'too often'

By Martin Ford | 30 June 2025

More councils could face Government intervention over planning following a tightening of rules.

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

The death of local government

By Steve Leach | 25 June 2025

The Government’s commitment to authorities of around half-a-million will further decimate the councillor population and Labour’s legacy will be the destructi...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Reaching for the radical

By Heather Jameson | 19 June 2025

Bristol is the only large unitary with a Green-led administration. Heather Jameson talks to its leader and chief executive about devoloution, focusing on the...

Popular articles by William Eichler