Haringey Council’s ruling Labour Group have been accused of improper practice over highly sensitive employment appeal hearings involving council staff by ensuring that Lib Dem members are not present to hear the details of disciplinary charges which could be embarrassing to the ruling Labour Party.

Despite a request being made over three months ago by Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Cllr Ron Aitken for information as to which councillors sat on a series of hearings stretching back over the last two years, council managers have only just now provided the information. A written reply from the Leader of the Council, dated 19 July reveals, that of 26 dismissal or grievance hearings heard between November 2002 and April 2004 only two included Liberal Democrat Councillors.

Local Government legislation provides that all committees and panels of the Council should reflect the party balance, yet Haringey Council has failed to ensure this.

Cllr Ron Aitken comments: “There has clearly been an attempt to prevent Liberal Democrat members from sitting on a whole series of appeals cases. During this period, social workers and managers were sacked in the fallout from the Victoria Climbie case, others were disciplined over inappropriate emails and the Council also sacked its press officers.”

Cllr Aitken has also complained that a Liberal Democrat Councillor was deliberately excluded from a sensitive hearing in January even though she had been rostered to sit on the Panel in question.