Islington Tribune - News: Row over 'suspensions' of top Town Hall boss, Vernal Scott

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Islington Tribune - by SIMON WROE and ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 4 April 2008

Row over ‘suspension’ of top Town Hall boss

Pressure for an end to secrecy surrounding head of equality

THE Town Hall has suspended its head of equality on full pay for the past five months but won’t say why.
Vernal Scott, Islington Council’s boss of equality and diversity, was suspended from his £50,000-a-year post in November last year, while he was out of the country on leave.
Prominent members of the borough’s black community are calling for an end to the secrecy surrounding his suspension.
Neither the council nor Mr Scott would confirm this week that he had been suspended. Lib Dem council leader Councillor James Kempton said he could not discuss individual staffing matters. Mr Scott has also refused to discuss the matter.
A council spokesman has confirmed that assistant chief executive Leyla Kogbara took over Mr Scott’s duties as manager of the equality and diversity unit in January.
Well-placed sources have suggested council chiefs were concerned about what Mr Scott might tell outside inspectors about the council’s equalities record.
It has been suggested Mr Scott was being held responsible for bringing in broadcaster and journalist Alex Pascall – known for his outspoken criticism of the Lib Dem council – to speak at a Black History month event.
Mr Pascall and Claudia Webbe, a senior adviser to the police’s Operation Trident, are calling for Mr Scott’s suspension to be brought into the open.
Ms Webbe, who is on the board of directors of Homes for Islington, said: “When you suspend someone for so long it becomes in the public domain. Islington residents need some understanding of what’s going on and when normal services will resume. Five months seems like a long time to go without equality issues.”
She said that the council had recently celebrated achieving level three of the equalities standards laid down for local government, adding: “How can it applaud itself on one hand and suspend its lead officer on the other?”
Mr Pascall said: “The council has not been telling people about the suspension or why he has been suspended. People said they weren’t happy he brought in myself and Claudia Webbe to speak at Black History Month.
“The council has been negative in involving black people. It seems as if they only want black people so they can tick boxes. There’s a lot of black staff there that are not happy.”
Sources close to Mr Scott describe him as “highly respected” with an “exemplary work record”. Labour councillor Paul Convery said: “This is a scandalous situation. I’m astounded that a senior official can be suspended on full pay as far back as last year and nothing appears to be done apart from negotiating a pay-off. His crime is to have not been 100 per cent loyal to the political leadership of the council. In this case they are going to have to pay an incredible amount of money to stop him going to a tribunal.”
Cllr Kempton said: “I can’t say anything because staffing matters are not a matter for members.”
A council spokesman said: “It would not be fair to comment on individual employees. The council is totally committed to equalities and this is endorsed by independent inspectors from the Audit Commission. In addition, our Investors in People assessment in 2007 said: ‘Equality and valuing diversity is a strong thread that runs through the council’s operations’. Obviously, we are always seeking to improve our performance and so we act on feedback from our community and staff.”

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