Shropshire Star

All Shropshire Council staff given spending warning

Every worker at Shropshire Council has been warned they could face disciplinary action for gross misconduct if "unnecessary spending" continues.

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Chief executive Clive Wright has emailed staff to give them a written warning that "some staff are still spending when they don't need to".

The council is in the process of identifying £80 million of new savings to be made over the next three years, which will result in about 1,700 workers being made redundant.

Shropshire Council chief executive Clive Wright

The email, which was sent out on Friday, has provoked an angry response from union bosses, who said they had been contacted by more than 40 workers unhappy about the wording used.

Alan James, branch secretary for Shropshire Unison, called on Mr Wright to withdraw the warning or face the prospect of "multiple complaints and grievances" being lodged against the authority.

Mr Wright's email said: "I wrote to you all last week to explain that there is a budget freeze with immediate effect. Thank you to everyone who has co-operated and acted properly to avoid any unnecessary spending.

"We have monitored spend over the past week and, unfortunately, it is apparent that some staff are still spending when they don't need to.

"Due to the importance of not spending I am issuing everyone with this written warning that unnecessary spending may result in disciplinary action."

Mr James sent a response to Mr Wright calling for the warning to be withdrawn.

"The recent email to all staff has caused not a little upset and anger. Unison has been inundated with complaints from our membership who are greatly concerned at this turn of events," he said. "Instead of galvanising staff to the common good it appears to have alienated a large section of the staff group."

But Mr Wright today explaining the reasoning behind sending the email and said the warning would not be withdrawn.

He said the email was the latest in a series of updates sent to staff about the changes needed to make the budget cuts.

"Given the serious nature of the budget situation we face, all staff need to be clear about the severity of implications of not complying with this mandate," he said.

A follow-up email to staff was sent by Mr Wright yesterday.

Mr Wright said he was "sorry to have caused any upset" and clarified the meaning of the written warning.

"This warning has not been issued under our disciplinary procedure and so it will not appear on anyone's employment record," he said.

"But, it does escalate the importance of this issue and anyone spending their budget on anything which is not essential may be disciplined and found to have not followed a written instruction.

"Therefore, potentially, they may have committed an act of gross misconduct."

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