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• 1 Feb 2021
DISMISSAL CONTROVERSY: Barnard Castle Town Council has come under scrutiny following the unfair dismissal of former deputy clerk Jane Woodward. Councillors Sandra Moorhouse and John Blissett are facing calls to resign
BARNARD Castle Town Council chose not to publicly debate calls for resignations following an employment tribunal which said the sacking of a staff member was a “charade”.
The town council this month lost a lengthy legal case when a judge ruled that former deputy clerk Jane Woodward was unfairly dismissed.Judge Seamus Sweeney was highly critical of Ms Woodward’s treatment at the hands of the town council and senior councillors Sandra Moorhouse and John Blissett. The tribunal also found the council was guilty of disability discrimination.
Barnard Castle A COUNCIL has apologised to residents and the former deputy town clerk, whom it was judged to have unfairly dismissed amid “moral disapproval” of her personal relationship with a councillor. The atmosphere between staff at Barnard Castle Town Council began to turn sour in 2017 after it emerged that Jane Woodward had grown close to then councillor Roger Peat, whose wife Rosemary was in a home with Alzheimer’s. Mrs Woodward found herself the subject of gossip and anonymous letters, which were referred to police, and was branded a gold-digger. In 2019 Mr Peat resigned from the authority and Mrs Woodward was later dismissed from her post after the council cited “an irretrievable breakdown in relationships between her and her co-workers and councillors”.
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Former town clerk for Barnard Town Council, Jane Woodward, has won her claim for unfair dismissal A FORMER deputy town clerk who was branded a gold digger by gossips after she formed a personal relationship with a married councillor has won her claim for unfair dismissal. An employment tribunal heard the atmosphere turned sour in the office at Barnard Castle Town Council when colleagues learned Jane Woodward had grown close to then councillor Roger Peat, whose wife Rosemary was in a care home with Alzheimers disease. Mrs Peat died last October, shortly before the hearing. Seeing Ms Woodward going on holiday with Mr Peat while his wife was confined, and learning of gifts bought for her by him, the view took hold that Ms Woodward was manipulating and taking advantage of an older man.