Second-wave of allegations of nepotism were "unfounded", council investigation finds
ANONYMOUS allegations of wrongdoing at Gloucester City Council are unsubstantiated, investigators have found.
Letters sent to the council, councillors and The Citizen prompted internal and external investigations over claims managers appointed staff and consultants without going through proper processes.
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Gloucester City Council
Among them were allegations concerning almost £350,000- worth of work with one man's consultancy firms.
But yesterday the council issued a statement, saying "there is no evidence to substantiate the allegations made".
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Special audit and governance committee chairman, Declan Wilson said yesterday: "These allegations were made against councillors, staff and even affected members of their families. I am unable to go into details because of the council's data protection obligations and because many of the allegations are potentially libellous by nature. However, I am pleased to report that both our own internal investigation and the findings of the external investigation concur in that there is no evidence to substantiate the allegations made.
"This whole episode has been very time consuming. I hope now that we can put these matters behind us and concentrate on the essential task of running services."
It comes after the council announced on Friday that regeneration director Phillip Staddon is leaving after being suspended for five months.
The council wouldn't say whether Mr Staddon had been cleared of alleged involvement in an investigation into nepotism. But in a statement issued by the council, he said he had decided to leave, partly because the council needs to shed a directorship to save money.
It is understood he left with a severance payment of around £100,000, which angered some workers who claimed Mr Staddon wanted to stay.
As a result of the original investigation into nepotism one manager was sacked, another resigned and one more disciplined after claims a post was filled unfairly.
It is understood two more sackings were made in the council's regeneration directorate over further but unrelated allegations of nepotism.
6 Comments
by FreeRadical1
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 6:22PM
“gomums, I think that you are confusing the first and second rounds of allegations. The first round allegations were proved true; the second round are now claimed to be unsubstantiated.”
by gomums
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 1:22PM
“Does that meen that those that were sacked or forced out can now get their jobs back or at the least compensation???? If they are entitled to compensation who will pay?”
by Ysedra
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 11:18AM
“Nice to see that this story can be commented on now. I guess we'll have to be a little careful about what we do write, though.
I would say that it's clear, as the council has owned up to it, that wrong-doing has been going on. If allegations - and allegations that are anonymous, no less, so that the people making them can't insist on more rigour in responding - have not been 'substantiated', that begs the question of whether the allegations chosen for action were the ones council staff knew were baseless?
What well-substantiated in-house circumventions of procedure might a director of regeneration know of, say, if he had a mind to speak out..?”
by geraint2010
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 10:28AM
“Maybe I'm being I'm naïve, but wouldn't democracy better served if ALL council meetings, throughout the land, were held in public with councillors enjoying the same 'parliamentary privilege' protection as Westminster politicians?”
by raidermanuk
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 10:12AM
“Lecorche
I suspect you are right.”
by Lecorche
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:58AM
“The more I read this,the more I believe that a forked tongue is at work.”