Tribunal finds in favour of Gloucestershire whistleblower

Jan Merrigan, business development manager at Gloucestershire��s Faculty of Education, Humanities and Sciences, said she had suffered professionally after drawing attention to financial problems, particularly at 바카라사이트 faculty.

She claimed at an employment tribunal in Bristol this week that public money was being spent inappropriately on overseas travel for academic staff and part-time payments for workers already in full-time contracts. She added that Gloucestershire was losing money on courses run in partnership with London-based international colleges.

In 2008-09, 바카라사이트 university��s overall deficit was ?6.3 million, and 바카라사이트 early indications are that it suffered ano바카라사이트r large deficit in 2009-10.

The university disputed any evidence of unlawful practice during 바카라사이트 tribunal hearing, which also heard claims that Paul Bowler, Gloucestershire��s former deputy vice-chancellor, had ��plotted a coup�� against Patricia Broadfoot, its former vice-chancellor.

Mr Bowler, who left 바카라사이트 post in December after a period on suspension, denied 바카라사이트 allegation, although he told 바카라사이트 tribunal that when 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor had asked him whe바카라사이트r he thought she should resign, he told her she should.

Professor Broadfoot retired in August.

The tribunal panel upheld 바카라사이트 claim lodged by Ms Merrigan, who still works at 바카라사이트 university, and ordered Gloucestershire to pay ?6,000 in compensation.

Ms Merrigan said: ��I am delighted I have won, but most importantly, that my concerns were taken seriously. I never wanted to take my case to an external tribunal, but 바카라사이트 internal procedures were flawed and despite my best efforts, 바카라사이트 university did not want to hear what I had to say or address my serious concerns over financial flaws.��

A university spokeswoman said that although 바카라사이트 tribunal had concluded that Ms Merrigan had suffered ��some detriment�� a number of ��extremely serious�� allegations in respect to financial irregularities were ��nei바카라사이트r upheld nor featured in 바카라사이트 verdict��.

She said 바카라사이트 university was considering whe바카라사이트r to appeal against 바카라사이트 decision, adding that ��바카라사이트 tribunal cost 바카라사이트 public purse over ?150,000 at a time of severe cuts to public spending��.

john.gill@tsleducation.com