Council worker still on paid suspension after four years

AMEMBER of staff at Gwynedd Council has been on paid suspension for four years – the longest in Wales.

The council also paid out more than £1.3m to suspended staff over the last four years.

The figures have been obtained through a Freedom of Information request to every one of Wales’ 22 councils, and shows that more than £9m was paid out to suspended staff over the last four years.

The research also shows the number of days Welsh council staff who have spent the longest time suspended but paid has totalled 11,193 days – equivalent to more than 30 years.

Councils were asked how much money they have spent in the last four years paying staff on suspension and what is the longest time a member of staff has been on paid suspension in the last four years.

However, not every council could answer, with some saying the information would take so long to gather that they were not obliged to respond. Others said it would break data protection rules to release it.

The highest amount paid to suspended staff was by Cardiff council, which is Wales’ biggest authority. The amount paid to staff who were suspended was £1.67m.

Second was Gwynedd, totalling £1,327,117. The longest time a member of staff has been on paid suspension at the authority is four years.

The authority employed 5,891 people as of March 31 this year.

When asked for details, a spokesman said: “There are circumstances when staff subject to a police investigation will need to be suspended.

“Over £800,000 relates to two separate cases which were the subject of longterm police investigations.

“One case involved the suspension of two staff for the duration of a police investigation which lasted 12 months and which resulted in the prosecution of both individuals.

“The other case involves the suspension of staff for the duration of a statutory investigation by police and social services which lasted for three years. This concluded with the CPS deciding not to proceed with any prosecutions.

“The council is now carrying out its own investigation and the individuals remain suspended.”

The lowest amount paid was Flintshire council with £187,447.50.