£30,000 wanted to pay civil servant’s private bill
Wednesday 25th November 2009, 2:30PM GMT.
AN ATTEMPT has been made to use taxpayers’ money to cover a civil servant’s private legal fees.
The Policy Council rejected the suggestion by Education minister Carol Steere, apparently triggering an emotional scene before she left the meeting abruptly.
She reportedly wanted the council to sanction paying £30,000 to meet costs incurred by education director Derek Neale during the unfair dismissal of former Le Rondin head (now deputy) Jane Stephens.
Attempts by this newspaper to get the details – and ascertain whether Education now intends to use its own budget to cover Mr Neale’s costs – have been rebuffed.
Deputy Steere (pictured) declined to comment in any detail or explain when the cost was incurred and why public money should cover it.
‘You wouldn’t expect me to make a comment on a confidential item in respect of an employee of the States of Guernsey,’ she said.
The Crown Officers represented the department in 2007, but it is understood Mr Neale also engaged his own advocate.
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What a cheek! If derek neale wanted a second opinion from his advocate, then he shall jolly well pay for it. The whole debacle was a massive waste of time and money.
Where in the supposedly educated and intellectual thought process did Dep Steere think that it would be an appropriate request that would be treated in any other way then it was? I mean seriously. Having had experience of dealing with unfair dismissal tribunals and employing an advocate to assist, £30k seems an awful lot of money, he should of come to me, I could of advised him for 1/30th of the cost! To quote a member of the Royle family, “Education my @r$e!”
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Again freedom of information acts would help to weed out the wheat from the chaff here.
I have no doubt whatsoever all states members would think very carefully before leaping with both feet like they are happy to do at the moment.
Well versed and armed, safe in the knowledge they have so many excuses to hide behind. And the expenses wont need to be accounted for either.
It would appear as though Carol Steere authorised Derek Neale to use his own personal lawyer.
Why?
The department was represented so one can only assume personal allegations were made that the law officers were not mandated to cover under the remit of the overall case.
Guernsey is open and transparent. Is it? Its all very luxurious and far too convenient for the majority of the states on this island for my liking!
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What a cheek.
Derek Neale was the master of his own destiny. Just read the tribunal report.
AS Aunty GP says £30000 is one massive bill.
Why the need to engage your own lawyer? Having read the tribunal report it is understandable the man was worried. However, he was responsible for what he did and can pay for his own actions.
The money would have been better spent in educating the department in how to deal with staff.
Time for Carol Steere to be honest with taxpayers.
If Education can consider paying or have paid for this man’s legal fees they can’t be short of money for their prime function – education
Good on the Policy Council for rejecting this proposal.
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IdThe headline post says “The Crown Officers represented the department in 2007, but it is understood Mr Neale also engaged his own advocate”
I had wondered whether Neale’s £30000 was for advice and representation at the tribunal.
However, the tribunal sets out the representatives and there is no reference to Neale being represented at the tribunal.
So, we can assume the £30000 was simply for hourly advice – advice that could have been obtained from the Crown Advocates for nothing.
Time for Mrs Steere to do the right thing and make a full disclosure.
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@‘You wouldn’t expect me to make a comment on a confidential item in respect of an employee of the States of Guernsey,’ she said.@
Come on Carol. If you asked the PC (9 taxpayers) for 30k in a closed forum why can’t you ask the other 60000 in an open forum?
Everything about this PC disgusts me. Poppies, side deals for staffers, golliwogs and pensions. An absolute disgrace to our people.
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More reason to get rid of the lot;
They still believe they are dealing with some poor Colonial people: and the might of the Empire.
Come on Guernsey people check ‘em out toute suit!
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Mr Le Feuvre
I totally agree with your comments, I am so angry with all that is happening on this island, we are being ruled by absolute idiots.
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Is this the open government that the CM and others boast about:
It’s about as open and a tin of beans;
When opened makes as much noise.
This affair should be brought to daylight;
‘Those who suggested this payment should be out on an ear.
Sounds typical of people in charge,
‘Father Christmas is there for e them every day’
But the ordinary man or woman can’t get the honesty they voted for.
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This is a disgrace !!!! like i said ages ago get rid of the lot of them. This island is a right mess cause of these people in office i wont be voting for any of them ever again . i think its time for a complete overhaul of the states . these people have no idea what there doing and its ruining our island ….
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“emotional scene before she left the meeting abruptly”………??!!??
More toys and prams being distanced from each other then. Pathetic.
In legal proceedings it is oftn the case that the unsuccessful party pays a sometimes substantial chunk of the successful party’s costs. Given that Neale and Stephens were on opposite sides in this fiasco as I recall, and given that Stephens was basically vindicated, why does Mrs Not-So-AuSteere reckon that we should stump up for her losing chum in any event?
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I agree, get rid of them. There’s not a single deputy worth voting for again amongst this lot. They just haven’t got a clue.
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another disgrace, and at last the good people of guernsey are making their feelings known, there must be some way of removing the ones who are causing the many bad things happening.
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Fin is right in saying “and given that Stephens was basically vindicated, why does Mrs Not-So-AuSteere reckon that we should stump up for her losing chum in any event?”
Why indeed. Just read para 35 the Conclusion of the tribunal judgement and it is a catalogue of poor management.
Perhaps the Editor of the Press or Dave Jones will demand that the cost to the taxpayer of the legal hearing, Crown Advocate time, all the staff meeting time to discuss Mrs Stephens etc.
All at the taxpayer expense because of poor management.
One gem is the comment of Crown Advocate McMahon who said that the director of Education was similar to a non executive director in the real world.
Another gem. Mrs Stephens was criticised by Education for asking for more staff. The tribunal was somewhat confused when the “seasoned HR person” told them at different times that staff provision was “incredibly generous” and at another time claimed it was the “bare minimum”. Confusion reigns!!!
A few minutes reading the tribunal conclusion makes worthwhile reading, although you will feel like bashing your head against the nearest wall, or better the heads of the main actors in this sordid story.
The exercise of reading the conclusion will show just how little merit there is in the suggestion that Neale’s legal expenses be paid by the taxpayer, and what an appalling lack of judgement Mrs Steere made in supporting such an imposition on the taxpayer.
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Carol is probably thinking that this is a lot of fuss over a paltry 30K when the 500K wasted on the suspended Hospital doctor seems to have all gone quiet
I wonder if the Policy Council is wondering who the mole in their midst is ?
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What i don’t understand about this is that surely, as a civil servant, Mr Neale is a member of a union – and they would have provided legal advice at no cost to him?
I agree that Taxpayers money should not be used to pay his personal lawyers expenses.
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More taxpayers money used to ‘help’ the already privileged!
£30,000 would fund a free school-meal service for the under-privileged children on the island!!
Oh – but Guernsey doesn’t have a problem – yeh, right! Must have been a rumour then that I heard of a teenager fainting at school only to discover he had not eaten for 2 days?
In the UK free school meals are known to often be the only decent meal some children have a day and I was surprised, to say the least, to discover that the service isn’t available here?
Surely it wouldn’t be that difficult to organise?
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Annie
why are you surprised we dont have free school meals here? is it because they have them in the UK? may i remind you that we are NOT the uk and we dont pay the high rate of taxes they pay over there. Its bad about that child fainting at school but i hardly see what thats got to do with free school meals as we should be asking why he didnt eat at home or bring lunch, maybe there was another reason for him not eating?
But i do agree with thrust of the debate and not waste money on his legal costs
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anyone working with Jane Stevens needs support.
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“Must have been a rumour then that I heard of a teenager fainting at school only to discover he had not eaten for 2 days?”
I concur with bcb. Annie, provide solid facts in this case before using a rumour as supporting evidence for an argument. For all we now the lad might be anorexic, which is a mental illness and nothing to do with free schools meals.
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