'Whistleblower' sacking backed (From Penarth Times)

'Whistleblower' sacking backed

A DINAS Powys man sacked from his job as a social worker has been told it was the correct decision.

Charles Faber, 54, of Dinas Powys, was a social worker for Cardiff Council.

He maintained he was sacked because he blew the whistle on the shortcomings of Cardiff's care for vulnerable adults and children on a BBC Wales TV programme.

However, the council claimed he was made redundant because of 'gross misconduct'.

Two audits in his department unearthed poor management and financial irregularities.

It claimed that in one year he paid himself £20,000 in "unjustified" overtime payments and took 25 lieu days he was unable to account for.

Unison secretary for the Cardiff area Peter King said: "We have never pretended that Charles was a perfect manager, but that he had maintained a service out of hours and over weekends and holidays to protect the vulnerable adults and children found all too often in a big city.

There was never any suggestion that he had failed in this regard."

He added: "There are lessons to be learnt from this sorry tale, especially concerning how an individual, a union or manager could blow the whistle on such a grave matter which the person felt powerless to resolve by any other means."

The industrial tribunal had claimed the council believed on reasonable grounds that the applicant had done what was alleged against him.

Deputy mayor of Cardiff Christine Priday said: "I am very pleased the tribunal found the council acted in a responsible way and followed all the correct procedures."

She also said the council had maintained throughout that Mr Faber was dismissed for gross mismanagement and not, as he alleged, for 'whistleblowing'.

In March, council workers went on strike in support of Faber, who had held his job for 18 years.