ianstone
10-01-2010, 03:54 PM
University whistleblower who lifted lid on excessive spending on overseas travel wins tribunal
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 6:47 PM on 1st October 2010
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http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/01/article-1316921-0B605625000005DC-182_233x386.jpg Janet Merrigan (left) arriving at the tribunal. She blew the lid off the University of Gloucestershire's financial mismanagement
A university whistleblower who was sidelined from her job after alleging faculty budgets were being blown on overseas travel and consultancy fees spoke today of her delight at winning her case.
Janet Merrigan took the Cheltenham-based University of Gloucestershire to an employment tribunal after claiming she was given an "ultimatum" to move departments following disclosures about the institution's funds.
As business development manager within the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Sciences she had flagged up concerns about excessive staff pay, overseas travel and consultancy fees at the university in a series of emails and conversations with bosses.
After the disclosures came to light - she claims files were removed from her computer - she was excluded from meetings and sidelined in her role.
Following a four-day tribunal in Bristol, Employment Judge Jim Tindal upheld Mrs Merrigan's complaints and ordered the university to pay her £6,000 for injury to feelings.
'I am delighted I have won, but most importantly that my concerns were taken seriously,' Mrs Merrigan said.
'I never wanted to take my case to an external tribunal, but the internal procedures were flawed and despite my best efforts, the university did not want to hear what I had to say, or address my serious concerns over financial flaws.
'This was at a time when the university faced grave financial challenges and had been placed on the Higher Education Funding Council's 'At Risk' list.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/01/article-1316921-0B700933000005DC-843_468x286.jpg University of Gloucestershire: Janet Merrigan claimed she was sidelined from her job after alleging faculty budgets were being blown on overseas travel and consultancy fees
'I had no other alternative than to take these concerns to the tribunal, to make sure that the public interests were served.
'I want to carry on doing a job that I love and for the university to learn from this experience and make sure no one has to take a case like this again.
'We need an open and transparent culture, where staff can speak out on issues of public interest and concerns over finance, knowing that they will be addressed.'
Mrs Merrigan, who still works at the university, was helped by her trade union Unison and represented by Thompsons solicitors.
A four-day hearing in Bristol heard how the allegations into financial matters at the university's Francis Hall Campus, based in Cheltenham, first emerged in June 2009.
Mrs Merrigan had been asked by the university's then deputy vice-chancellor (operations) Paul Bowler to look into the finances in June 2009.
He had been hired to put together a financial recovery plan for the university, which was on the Higher Education and Funding Council for England's "at risk" list for financial problems.
Mrs Merrigan accused the university's education department of exerting 'poor financial control' after being instructed to review its funds.
In a series of emails and phone conversations she claimed full-time staff were receiving extra wages to attend the university's London campus.
The business manager also said some university partners were being paid up to £60,000 a year for training that held little benefit to the university.
In one instance she queried why cash was being paid to a ministerial training firm, partnered with the Church Of England.
Mrs Merrigan told the tribunal: 'We were in serious financial difficulty, but here we were paying money for this training to go on and were not recovering the costs.
'The partnership was loss-making and needed to be revised - it was public money.'
She also claimed consultants were also pocketing up to £1,000 a month from the university, with no visible results.
Mrs Merrigan also added that staff had inaccurately reported the university's income forecast for 2010 - masking a £3 million deficit.
She also raised concerns about "excessive" faculty costs for overseas travel.
Mr Bowler left the university suddenly in November last year, having been accused by the university's ruling council of "insubordination" and attempting to remove the then vice-chancellor Professor Patricia Broadfoot so he could have the job himself.
Mr Bowler denied the claim and said he resigned after he was suspended when he made it known he was thinking of quitting because of "ethical" concerns about how the university was run.
Mrs Merrigan told the tribunal that after Mr Bowler left the attitude of senior staff changed towards her.
After letting bosses know of her concerns, she claims files were deleted from her computer in November 2009 and she was excluded from meetings.
She was then offered a position in the university's marketing department - where she had no experience.
She filed a whistleblower complaint against the university in January this year, but it was dismissed.
During the hearing the university disputed the claims of unlawful practice.
Christopher Howells, representing the university, claimed Mrs Merrigan's concerns were not of legal irregularities, but more about financial overspending.
He said they therefore did not count as protected disclosures against her employer.
Joanne Kaye, regional manager for Unison, said: 'Mrs Merrigan was brave enough to challenge serious financial mismanagement at the university and we are pleased the tribunal has upheld her case.
'At a time when public services are facing the deepest cuts in a generation, it is vital that there are people like Jan who will ensure financial transparency and will not look the other way, or be too frightened to speak out, when there are serious problems.
'Mrs Merrigan's work and that of her colleagues, who are often described as 'back office', is vital to make sure the public money is used properly and efficiently.
'Employers must listen to their staff and take urgent action when they identify these serious issues, and not ignore them as the University of Gloucestershire did.
'I hope that this will encourage other employees to speak out and that the university will value their staff more as a result of this decision.
'They play a vital role they have in making sure that public finances are subject to scrutiny and the highest possible standards.'
Sarah Henderson, from Thompsons, said: 'This is a great result. Ms Merrigan was effectively punished for doing her job when the matters she was revealing became uncomfortable for those at the top.
'With the support of Unison Mrs Merrigan has managed to expose the injustice.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1316921/University-Gloucestershire-whistleblower-lifted-lid-excessive-spending-overseas-travel-wins-tribunal.html#ixzz118f96qj3
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 6:47 PM on 1st October 2010
Comments (0) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1316921/University-Gloucestershire-whistleblower-lifted-lid-excessive-spending-overseas-travel-wins-tribunal.html#comments)
Add to My Stories (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1316921/University-Gloucestershire-whistleblower-lifted-lid-excessive-spending-overseas-travel-wins-tribunal.html)
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/01/article-1316921-0B605625000005DC-182_233x386.jpg Janet Merrigan (left) arriving at the tribunal. She blew the lid off the University of Gloucestershire's financial mismanagement
A university whistleblower who was sidelined from her job after alleging faculty budgets were being blown on overseas travel and consultancy fees spoke today of her delight at winning her case.
Janet Merrigan took the Cheltenham-based University of Gloucestershire to an employment tribunal after claiming she was given an "ultimatum" to move departments following disclosures about the institution's funds.
As business development manager within the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Sciences she had flagged up concerns about excessive staff pay, overseas travel and consultancy fees at the university in a series of emails and conversations with bosses.
After the disclosures came to light - she claims files were removed from her computer - she was excluded from meetings and sidelined in her role.
Following a four-day tribunal in Bristol, Employment Judge Jim Tindal upheld Mrs Merrigan's complaints and ordered the university to pay her £6,000 for injury to feelings.
'I am delighted I have won, but most importantly that my concerns were taken seriously,' Mrs Merrigan said.
'I never wanted to take my case to an external tribunal, but the internal procedures were flawed and despite my best efforts, the university did not want to hear what I had to say, or address my serious concerns over financial flaws.
'This was at a time when the university faced grave financial challenges and had been placed on the Higher Education Funding Council's 'At Risk' list.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/01/article-1316921-0B700933000005DC-843_468x286.jpg University of Gloucestershire: Janet Merrigan claimed she was sidelined from her job after alleging faculty budgets were being blown on overseas travel and consultancy fees
'I had no other alternative than to take these concerns to the tribunal, to make sure that the public interests were served.
'I want to carry on doing a job that I love and for the university to learn from this experience and make sure no one has to take a case like this again.
'We need an open and transparent culture, where staff can speak out on issues of public interest and concerns over finance, knowing that they will be addressed.'
Mrs Merrigan, who still works at the university, was helped by her trade union Unison and represented by Thompsons solicitors.
A four-day hearing in Bristol heard how the allegations into financial matters at the university's Francis Hall Campus, based in Cheltenham, first emerged in June 2009.
Mrs Merrigan had been asked by the university's then deputy vice-chancellor (operations) Paul Bowler to look into the finances in June 2009.
He had been hired to put together a financial recovery plan for the university, which was on the Higher Education and Funding Council for England's "at risk" list for financial problems.
Mrs Merrigan accused the university's education department of exerting 'poor financial control' after being instructed to review its funds.
In a series of emails and phone conversations she claimed full-time staff were receiving extra wages to attend the university's London campus.
The business manager also said some university partners were being paid up to £60,000 a year for training that held little benefit to the university.
In one instance she queried why cash was being paid to a ministerial training firm, partnered with the Church Of England.
Mrs Merrigan told the tribunal: 'We were in serious financial difficulty, but here we were paying money for this training to go on and were not recovering the costs.
'The partnership was loss-making and needed to be revised - it was public money.'
She also claimed consultants were also pocketing up to £1,000 a month from the university, with no visible results.
Mrs Merrigan also added that staff had inaccurately reported the university's income forecast for 2010 - masking a £3 million deficit.
She also raised concerns about "excessive" faculty costs for overseas travel.
Mr Bowler left the university suddenly in November last year, having been accused by the university's ruling council of "insubordination" and attempting to remove the then vice-chancellor Professor Patricia Broadfoot so he could have the job himself.
Mr Bowler denied the claim and said he resigned after he was suspended when he made it known he was thinking of quitting because of "ethical" concerns about how the university was run.
Mrs Merrigan told the tribunal that after Mr Bowler left the attitude of senior staff changed towards her.
After letting bosses know of her concerns, she claims files were deleted from her computer in November 2009 and she was excluded from meetings.
She was then offered a position in the university's marketing department - where she had no experience.
She filed a whistleblower complaint against the university in January this year, but it was dismissed.
During the hearing the university disputed the claims of unlawful practice.
Christopher Howells, representing the university, claimed Mrs Merrigan's concerns were not of legal irregularities, but more about financial overspending.
He said they therefore did not count as protected disclosures against her employer.
Joanne Kaye, regional manager for Unison, said: 'Mrs Merrigan was brave enough to challenge serious financial mismanagement at the university and we are pleased the tribunal has upheld her case.
'At a time when public services are facing the deepest cuts in a generation, it is vital that there are people like Jan who will ensure financial transparency and will not look the other way, or be too frightened to speak out, when there are serious problems.
'Mrs Merrigan's work and that of her colleagues, who are often described as 'back office', is vital to make sure the public money is used properly and efficiently.
'Employers must listen to their staff and take urgent action when they identify these serious issues, and not ignore them as the University of Gloucestershire did.
'I hope that this will encourage other employees to speak out and that the university will value their staff more as a result of this decision.
'They play a vital role they have in making sure that public finances are subject to scrutiny and the highest possible standards.'
Sarah Henderson, from Thompsons, said: 'This is a great result. Ms Merrigan was effectively punished for doing her job when the matters she was revealing became uncomfortable for those at the top.
'With the support of Unison Mrs Merrigan has managed to expose the injustice.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1316921/University-Gloucestershire-whistleblower-lifted-lid-excessive-spending-overseas-travel-wins-tribunal.html#ixzz118f96qj3