County Tories using £200k to gag own staff

3.02.06pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Sep 2009

SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

NEWS RELEASE

To: Political/News Editors

Embargo: Immediate

Date: 07/09/09

Liberal Democrats reveal County Council staff 'gagging orders' costs over £200,000

Suffolk County Council Liberal Democrats can today reveal that the County Council has spent £208,263 on 'gagging orders' for its own staff since the 1st of January 2008.

Gagging order or 'Staff Compromise Agreements' are used by Suffolk County Council to ensure that employees having their contracts terminated (being sacked) are not able to talk about the situation. Many believe that gagging orders are used to ensure that the failings of public and private organisations are not heard in the public domain.

Cllr Andrew Cann Liberal Democrat Group Spokesperson for Finance and Resources said, "The use of public money to prevent the failings of Suffolk County Council being aired is bad enough. To see that SCC is using £200,000 of public money, at a time of recession and service cuts, to cover up its own mistakes is shocking."

"Suffolk County Council should make a commitment to stopping these payments immediately. Public money should be spent on the public providing essential services in the community. If SCC is at fault it should simply come clean, not use our money to make it appear more professional than it is."

The information comes courtesy of a Freedom of Information enquiry made by Cllr Andrew Cann.

Ends

Further information

Councillor: Andrew Cann - 07545 289190

Press Enquiries: Jonathan Baker - 01473 265116

Email: jonathan.baker@suffolk.gov.uk

Notes to editor

The information comes courtesy of a Freedom of Information enquiry made by Cllr Andrew Cann. The question was as follows;

Dear Sir / Madam

I would like to know how much money has been spent since Jan 1st 2008 on employee Termination Agreements - colloquially know as 'gagging orders'.

With regards

Andrew Cann

The Answer that SCC provided;

Dear Cllr Cann

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - REQUEST RESPONSE

Thank you for your email of 17 August 2009 where you requested information about employee termination agreements.

Suffolk County Council has spent £208,263.00 on staff compromise agreements since 1 January 2008. We do not understand the reference to "gagging orders" as this suggests the employee has no choice. The agreements are entered into consensually between the employer and employee and the employee must be advised by a solicitor or trade union representative before they can sign the agreement.