STEP boss leaves following report Bullying and harassment allegations denied by CEO
The chief executive of arms-length Stirling Council body STEP has left the organisation following a lawyer’s report which refers to bullying and harassment allegations.
Gordon Bell had been chief executive of the Stirling Enterprise Park based business support organisation since May 2011.
Lawyer Graham Mitchell was appointed by the STEP board in November 2019 to look into breaches of employment law policies and collected anonymised statements from former employees of the organisation.
In an interim report the following month Mr Mitchell pointed out that a number of statements concerning Mr
Bell made ‘at least credible’ allegations of bullying and harassment.
Mr Bell this week denied the allegations in a statement to the Observer.
A group of former employees had contacted the STEP board in January 2019 to demand an inquiry into the “high volume” of staff turnover at the organisation in recent years.
Some had also been dismayed at a decision to leave Falkirk Council Pension Fund which, they said, would be detrimental to staff members’ retirement incomes.
A statement issued last week by a group of former employees pointed out they had not been told officially that Mr Bell had resigned his post and accused the STEP board of ‘concealing its failure to maintain its duty of care to employees.’
STEP this week confirmed to the Observer that Mr Bell had resigned as chief executive. A spokesperson however added:
“STEP’S focus is on looking forward to a successful future and therefore wish to make no further comment on this matter.”
Stirling Council is the main shareholder of STEP, an Arms Length External Organisation (ALEO). However, a council spokesman said this week it was not appropriate to comment “because this individual is an employee of a separate organisation.”
Mr Bell told the Observer this week: “I completely refute all allegations made against me and believe that the allegations have been made in bad faith. After nine years at STEP I resigned my position earlier this year and have moved on to a new challenge.
“Any individual employee of STEP who was unhappy with an action of the management team could have raised the matter by way of the internal grievance procedure if they so wished.
“During my time with STEP, no grievance was raised against me or any other senior manager.
“I am confident that the small group do not represent the views of the majority of staff members, and the actions of the group have been completely at odds with staff engagement surveys completed during my time at STEP. In February 2019, 100% of staff rated STEP as a positive place to work.”
After nine years at STEP I resigned my position earlier this year and have moved on to a new challenge Gordon Bell