Islington Tribune news: Gay registrar row | Lillian Ladele | freelance basis as a deputy registrar for Islington Council from 1994.

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Islington Tribune - by TOM FOOT
Published: 18 July 2008

Lillian Ladele

Choice between faith and demands of job

LILLIAN Ladele worked on a freelance basis as a deputy registrar for Islington Council from 1994.
She started performing marriage ceremonies the following year.
Ms Ladele first became aware of the impending Civil Partnerships Act – formally recognising same-sex unions – in a circular from the General Registrar Office in 2003.

• November 2003: Ms Ladele raises her concerns about performing civil partnership ceremonies with line manager Helen Mendez Childs.
• November 2005: She files an official letter to Islington’s superintendent registrar John Lynch saying she could not perform the ceremonies.
• March 2006: Ms Ladele is told by her manager she could be in breach of the council’s Dignity For All policy if she continues to refuse to perform civil partnerships.
• May 2006: Ms Ladele receives a letter from Islington Council warning her “the council would not at this time ask you to participate in civil ceremonies. The council reserves the right to request you to perform all your duties of your employment, including civil partnerships, if there are no service delivery implications.”
• May 2006: She responds, saying she would not choose between “honouring my faith or the demands of the council”.
• November 2006: Ms Ladele is accused of “homophobia” by gay colleagues in formal complaint.
• November 2006: Mr Lynch informs the two colleagues who filed a complaint that “once we are part of the local authority and become local government employees and conform to local government guidelines then the way things are being handled will change”.
• February 2007: Mr Lynch tells the gay colleagues: “Islington Council is currently in discussion with General Registrar Office (GRO) in relation to this issue, since affording staff discretion to not undertake civil partnerships would be contrary to council’s Dignity For All policy and staff code of conduct and is direct discrimination in the view of Islington.”
• May 2007: The atmosphere in the office “deteriorates” and the council’s lawyer David Daniels is asked to conduct an internal investigation. He interviews Ms Ladele and Ms Mendez Childs.
• July 2007: Mr Daniels’ report recommends a formal complaint be brought against Ms Ladele for failing to comply with the council’s code of conduct.
• August 2007: The hearing takes place before Louise Round, Islington Council’s director of corporate resources. Ms Ladele is represented by a friend (non-union). Her line manager Ms Mendez Child is present. Ms Round adjourns the hearing until September.
• September 2007: Ms Round writes to Ms Ladele setting out her findings.
She offers Ms Ladele the chance to sign a job description that would mean she should not be required to carry out civil partnerships, but would have to carry out admin work for civil partnerships.
She tells Ms Ladele: “Should you choose not to sign the new job description the council would have to seriously consider its position and one possible outcome is that your contract would be terminated.”
Ms Round accepts there is no evidence the ceremonies could not be delivered in practical terms without Ms Ladele’s assistance. Ms Ladele does not sign the agreement.
• December 2007: All registrars across the country become employed by local authorities.
Ms Ladele becomes an employee of the council. She is threatened with gross misconduct if she does not perform civil partnerships as she would be in conflict with the council’s code of conduct.
• March 2008: Ms Ladele takes the council to a tribunal, claiming she has been discriminated against because of her religious beliefs.
• May 2008: Week-long hearing.
• July 2008: Tribunal publishes judgement.

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