I NOTE that no one was available to comment on The Northern Echo’s report about the constructive dismissal case brought against Ferryhill Town Council by the authority’s former senior officer Jamie Corrigan (Echo, Jan 29).
It was independent town councillors who brought this issue – including the use of a credit card – to the public’s attention. We also informed the town council that under the terms of Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972 parish and town councils could not use debit or credit cards and that the only form of legal payments were cheques.
Council leader Pat McCourt and his Labour colleagues ignored this advice and decided that the misuse of the debit card was not misconduct and as such there was no need for disciplinary action.
Subsequently, 224 debit card transaction have not been investigated.
As Mr Corrigan is now the clerk to Fleet Town Council, will Coun McCourt support a move to have the investigation into what took place reopened and finalised ?
Coun Brian Gibson, Ferryhill.
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