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Council loses £1m sickness case | Council loses £1m sickness case |
(20 minutes later) | |
A council has lost its High Court case against a former managing director after claiming she withheld a history of depressive illness. | A council has lost its High Court case against a former managing director after claiming she withheld a history of depressive illness. |
Cheltenham Borough Council was suing Christine Laird, 52, for £1m. | Cheltenham Borough Council was suing Christine Laird, 52, for £1m. |
Mrs Laird was appointed in 2002, but left in 2005 on an ill-health pension after taking sick leave on full pay. | Mrs Laird was appointed in 2002, but left in 2005 on an ill-health pension after taking sick leave on full pay. |
The council had claimed it suffered financial losses amounting to more than £1m including interest as a result of Mrs Laird's "deceit". | The council had claimed it suffered financial losses amounting to more than £1m including interest as a result of Mrs Laird's "deceit". |
'Disastrous time' | |
Andrew North, Chief Executive of Cheltenham Borough Council, said they were disappointed with the judgement. | |
"While the outcome is not what we had hoped for, we felt we had a duty to take action to recover losses for what we felt was a disastrous time for the council. | |
"Had the council known Mrs Laird's medical history it would most probably not have employed her and incurred the costs it has. | |
I hope a line can now be drawn, allowing Mrs Laird to get on with her life and the council to get on with the business of governing Cheltenham Mr Justice Hamblen | |
"Undoubtedly the council went through a very difficult time between 2002 and 2005 and we are now a very different organisation to the council which Mrs Laird was appointed to lead." | |
Mrs Laird, 52, told the High Court in March that she believed the appointment was "unconditional" and there had been no requirement for a medical report. | Mrs Laird, 52, told the High Court in March that she believed the appointment was "unconditional" and there had been no requirement for a medical report. |
She said she had given accurate information about her past. | She said she had given accurate information about her past. |
Mr Justice Hamblen dismissed the council's action, but also rejected a counterclaim by Mrs Laird for damages. | Mr Justice Hamblen dismissed the council's action, but also rejected a counterclaim by Mrs Laird for damages. |
The judge said: "It is over eight years since Mrs Laird joined the council and much of the intervening period has been spent in bitter dispute before various tribunals, at much personal and financial cost." | |
Legal costs | |
He added: "I very much hope that a line can now finally be drawn, allowing Mrs Laird to get on with her life and the council to get on with the business of governing Cheltenham." | |
Mrs Laird said at the hearing in March that the work she did for the council was worth at least £1.5m in efficiency savings because of her financial and local housing expertise. | Mrs Laird said at the hearing in March that the work she did for the council was worth at least £1.5m in efficiency savings because of her financial and local housing expertise. |
She claimed this resulted in a £30m benefit for the council. | She claimed this resulted in a £30m benefit for the council. |
In court Mrs Laird said she had been forced out of office by a poor working atmosphere on the local authority and council members who opposed her implementation of restructuring departments. | In court Mrs Laird said she had been forced out of office by a poor working atmosphere on the local authority and council members who opposed her implementation of restructuring departments. |
The legal costs for the action are expected to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. | The legal costs for the action are expected to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. |