LOCAL authority staff have been criticised for failing to do more to resolve problems at Richmond School before the governing body resigned en-masse.

A confidential report by a senior North Yorkshire County Council officer concluded that the authority was right to issue a warning notice last year to the school's governors after their relationship with headteacher Ian Robertson broke down.

Justine Brooksbank, the council's assistant chief executive, however, found that officers' input as problems grew in the preceding months was "sporadic and seemingly uncoordinated".

The report revealed that much of the tension resulted from the head taking major decisions without consulting with governors.

But while officers agreed with governors at the time, they failed to raise concerns with Mr Robertson.

The report was produced in response to a complaint by Anne Skeoch, former chair of the governors, about the authority's decision to issue a warning notice.

The document states that officers intervened without request during an earlier issue but failed to response to Mrs Skeoch when she got in touch regarding a second problem.

It concluded that the local authority officers involved did not appear to "join the dots" and have a coordinated and meaningful approach to the deteriorating relationship between the headteacher and the chair of governors.

It added: "This remains a constant question with Anne 'why did no-one just come and talk to me about it and explain why they were worried?'"

The report stressed that it was not the local authority which caused the relationship difficulties between the governing body and the head.

However it added: "Earlier and different intervention may have mitigated the need for the warning notice."

Mrs Skeoch declined to comment, however an email to former governors obtained by the Echo reveals her anger at the local authority for its perceived lack of support.

She said: "Why on earth would any self-respecting individual volunteer to put themselves in this precarious position (of being a governor)?

"Who would be a governor, let alone chair of governors, at Richmond School - indeed in North Yorkshire - now."

Richmond county councillor Stuart Parsons said the report revealed the local authority was "shambolic and cowardly".

He added: "Their issuing of the warning notice is their attempt to cover up their own abject failures.

"Targeting volunteer governors is obviously easier than grasping the very real nettles that they had allowed to flourish."

The county council said the report found the waning notice was legal and appropriate.

It added: "This view was shared by Ofsted, whose inspectors in their recent visit to the school supported the approach taken by the county council, and strongly endorsed Richmond School’s leadership and governance The county council believes Ofsted’s findings should draw a line under an unsettling period of change.

"The county council now expects all in the community, particularly community leaders, to move forward with students’ best interests at heart, to help to create stability and to give positive support to what is a good school with a very bright future."