Derby’s s151 officer appeals summary dismissal

Derby City Council’s strategic director of resources and section 151 officer has launched an appeal after being summarily dismissed following an investigation.

The decision to sack Roger Kershaw was taken by five senior councillors at a meeting held in secret at the end of last month.

The council would not confirm the reason for Kershaw’s removal, although it is believed to relate to the implementation of a pay and reward strategy instigated by the council to ensure it complied with equal rights legislation.

A statement from the council said: “Derby City Council confirms that following the investigating and disciplinary committee meeting on 27 March 2015, Roger Kershaw the council’s strategic director for resources was summarily dismissed with effect from 16 April 2015.”

Kershaw joined the council in 2011 from his previous role as strategic director of resources at Somerset County Council.

He was suspended in July last year for undisclosed reasons, along with Karen Jewell, director of human resources and business support.

Kershaw is being represented by Richard Penn, a consultant working on behalf of the Association of Local Authority Chief Executives.

Penn would not comment on the case when contacted by Room151, other than to say that no date has yet been set for the appeal hearing.

Nicole Berrisford, secretary of Unison’s Derby branch, said that she was not aware of the specific accusations faced by Kershaw.

However, she said the union had raised concerns over the way the pay review had been carried out by the council.

She told Room151: “A lot of staff found their pay downgraded without having any input into the process.

“There were issues in various teams, with people in the same jobs being paid on different scales – there were clear anomalies.”

More than 1,100 appeals have been launched against the new terms and conditions which were imposed on staff in May last year as a result of the review, she said.

The council has since appointed business consultant Hay Group to re-conduct the review at a cost of £1.2m.

According to reports in the local press. a leaked email reveals that Labour council leader Ranjit Banwait is keen to appoint acting council chief executive Paul Robinson to take on Kershaw’s former responsibilities.

Robinson was appointed after previous chief executive Adam Wilkinson took voluntary redundancy in January.