Why almost 30 council staff have been officially disciplined

COUNCIL staff in the Vale of Glamorgan have been disciplined for unauthorised absences, financial irregularities and even allegations relating to a gun into a youth centre in the past year.

A total of 29 members of Vale of Glamorgan Council staff have been through disciplinary action in the 12 months leading up to May this year.

Among the incidents, a council staff member is “alleged to have engaged with youths with a gun/weapon brought into Llantwit Youth centre” and received a final written warning for the incident in January, a Freedom of Information Act request has discovered.

The council dismissed five staff during that time-frame - three of whom were employed in the council’s Learning and Skills department, which manages the Vale’s schools, youth services, libraries and learning centres.

One of those council employees lost their job due to ‘financial irregularities,’ while another was fired due to unauthorised absences.

Another staff member, employed in the council’s resources department which includes HR, IT, legal services and finance, was dismissed after “going awol” and fraudulently claiming time while not in work.

A council employee was also given a first written warning for fraudulently offering access to a household waste recycling centre.

Final written warnings were handed to two employees working for the council’s environment and housing services. One of the employees was disciplined for not wearing a seatbelt while driving a work vehicle, while the other was for failing to report an accident.

Another employee of the council’s environment and housing services was given a first written warning when they were spotted driving down a one way street the one way.

Vale of Glamorgan Council has given no further details of the incidents involving a gun or the financial irregularities.

But a council spokesman said: “The council has strict and comprehensive guidelines regarding staff conduct as set out in its disciplinary procedure.

“Information relating to individual cases is confidential. Each is considered in line with this disciplinary procedure and the appropriate action taken.”