Senior Manager at Wirral Council dismissed for gross misconduct for email about Joe Blott

Senior Manager at Wirral Council dismissed for gross misconduct for email about Joe Blott

Wirral Council Cabinet meeting at Birkenhead Town Hall Thursday 12th March 2015 Left to right Surjit Tour, Cllr Phil Davies and Joe Blott

Senior Manager at Wirral Council dismissed for gross misconduct for email about Joe Blott

                                                

Wirral Council Cabinet meeting at Birkenhead Town Hall Thursday 12th March 2015 Left to right Surjit Tour, Cllr Phil Davies and Joe Blott
Wirral Council Cabinet meeting at Birkenhead Town Hall Thursday 12th March 2015 Left to right Surjit Tour, Cllr Phil Davies and Joe Blott

A 22 page Employment Tribunal decision published in late November 2018 dismissed a Mr Leyland Otter’s allegations of unfair dismissal and unpaid redundancy.

Wirral Council had sacked Mr Otter for gross misconduct on 6th February 2018 because of an offensive email he had written about Joe Blott to a friend referred to as Mr H. Unfortunately Mr H to Mr Otter in his reply had accidentally copied in Joe Blott.

Mr Otter’s claimed that what he had written in the email did not amount to gross misconduct and had it not been for the disciplinary proceedings brought against him he would have instead been made redundant on the 7th February 2018.

However the Employment Tribunal Judge did not agree with Mr Otter’s allegations and determined that Wirral Council had correctly dismissed him for gross misconduct.

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Author: John Brace

New media journalist from Birkenhead, England who writes about Wirral Council. Published and promoted by John Brace, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH. Printed by UK Webhosting Ltd t/a Tsohost, 113-114 Buckingham Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, England, SL1 4PF.

6 thoughts on “Senior Manager at Wirral Council dismissed for gross misconduct for email about Joe Blott”

  1. I wonder how many junior employees have been dismissed unfairly with bogus gross misconduct charges, by Joe Blott down the years. There will be plenty.

    One of Blott’s predecessors David Green tried to do it to me with false “bullying and intimidation gross misconduct charges”. He failed, I resigned.

    Most improved council? My ****.

    1. Thanks for your comment Paul. If you read the Employment Tribunal judgement linked to above, some of what Mr Otter was accused of at his disciplinary hearing was not found proven, leaving just the matter of the email.

      He also covertly recorded the disciplinary appeal hearing and introduced a transcript of it in evidence as part of the Employment Tribunal claim.

    1. Hi Tom,

      Thanks for your comment.

      I’m not exactly sure what you mean by letter, but if you’re referring to the email the relevant sections are quoted on page 9 (paragraph 37) of the judgement. The Claimant claimed it was mimicry of a Dudley Moore and Peter Cook sketch and it was too offensive to quote in the article above.

  2. Same happend to a relative of mine, she won her case for unfair dismissal after a two year battle.W.B.C.rife with corruption and bullying.

    1. Thank you for your comment. Did it go as far as an Employment Tribunal claim with your relative or was he or she offered compensation before it got to that stage?

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