Islington News: John Foster | Vernal Scott | Apology | Confidential Papers

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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 09 January 2009

Former equalities boss wins apology over leaked Town Hall papers

THE Town Hall’s former head of equalities has said he is disgusted at the council’s handling of an investigation into how confidential papers relating to his departure were leaked to the Tribune.
Islington Council’s chief executive John Foster has sent a written apology to Vernal Scott following the conclusion of the inquiry but it appears no one has been found culpable.
The apology follows an investigation into how a bundle of papers containing unfounded allegations about Mr Scott fell into the hands of this newspaper and others.
Speaking about the leak, Mr Scott said: “It was a blatant attempt at defamation of character. They have accepted that it probably came from within the council. The report says it looks like the documents were originally in the chief executive’s office.
“It’s an apology without liability. I feel disgusted. The investigation is flawed – you can’t really investigate yourself.”
Mr Scott was given a £100,000 payoff following a six-month suspension on full pay last year. He no longer works for the council.
The council has refused to make public the findings of the leak inquiry.
A Town Hall spokesman said: “We were very concerned to learn of this highly unusual breach, for which we apologise. We took this breach extremely seriously and conducted a thorough investigation. It concluded that no source could be identified for this leak.”

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