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The region’s leading
countryside and lifestyle show is returning to its
farming roots at the East of England Showground on
18th,
19th and 20th June 2010.
This
year's show will be a
celebration of all things rural. The livestock
classes will be building on last year’s success and
hoping for even higher levels of entries this year.
The Show always attracts some of the country’s
finest livestock and the standard just seems to
improve every year.
Food also remains at the heart of the show and this
year see the return of the Peterborough
International Orchid Show plus lots of retail
therapy and entertainment.
To find out more about the East of England Show, visit the website -
click here
The police and CPS say there is no case to answer on
the theft from employer charge, despite the
insistence of HR and the council’s slowness in
passing on information to the police that could have
had the matter cleared up inside a few weeks. ACAS
guidelines suggest than suspension should be as sort
as possible, because of the impact it can have on
the person suspended.
He answered questions by HR in a 3 hour meeting in
March, which were only passed on to the police
recently. Which makes me wonder if they preferred
not to pass this on as it did not do much for their
case? Was it deliberate?
It still remains to be seen what HR will do and are
considering taking some advice from an employment
solicitor rather than just the union. It might be
worth the money spent, if we can scrape it together
and if it means he keeps his job.
I really believe this is now more about HR and audit
having an agenda of their own than an open and
unbiased investigation of facts. Due to other
problems within the department they appear to have
approached this whole issue with the attitude that
Stirling was guilty and that there was not other
explanation for the circumstances, other than the
one they had concluded. This conclusion having been
reached without any conversation with Stirling
before calling in the police.
The police were not happy, felt they were having
their time wasted and that Stirling was being
scape-goated in an effort to look like they’d had
some measure of success in their investigations.
They also said that one particular council
ex-employee changed their story when questioned and
they were not inclined to believe she was being
truthful.
All he was ever guilty of was doing what was asked
of him by his bosses and not asking questions and
assuming they would not be asking him to do
something illegal.
Anyway, remains to be seen what HR will do. They may
feel that it will reflect badly on them if they
can’t hand out a severe punishment. Looks daft if
you’ve had someone suspended for 3 months and can
then only give them a written warning. So far most
of their investigations within the department have
not been very successful and have cost lots of
money. In Stirling’s case, they have also had to
employ a contractor to cover some work in gaps lefts
where other technicians have had to cover his school
visits.
They must give him 10 days notice of a disciplinary
meeting.
At least this means he is more likely to be able to
get another job, which would not have been the case
with a criminal charge hanging over him. The relief
is palpable.
I’m also considering taking some legal advice about
where I stand should the council start speaking with
the schools I have as website clients. Other that
people being aware of me because they know Stirling,
he has had nothing to do with the process of my
winning business. They did suggest in their
investigatory meeting with Stirling, that they would
do this. They appear to be trying to find whatever
they can to discipline or dismiss him.
Schools have come to me because I can offer
something different from the council website option.
In some cases through recommendation. This, like
Stirling’s sudden arrest early in the morning comes
across as being careless with other’s reputations.
I’ve worked at this business for 12 years and have a
good reputation. Suggesting that I gained business
via dishonest means does not sit well with me.
Draw now closed, check back
for details of winners
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