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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Council loses £1m sickness case | Council loses £1m sickness case |
| (29 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". |
| Andrew North, Chief Executive of Cheltenham Borough Council, said the authority was disappointed with the judgement. | Andrew North, Chief Executive of Cheltenham Borough Council, said the authority was 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. | "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. |
| Hugh Laird said the case nearly cost his wife her life | |
| "Had the council known Mrs Laird's medical history it would most probably not have employed her and incurred the costs it has. | "Had the council known Mrs Laird's medical history it would most probably not have employed her and incurred the costs it has. |
| "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." | "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's husband Hugh Laird, speaking outside the High Court in London, said: "Christine's mental health has been cruelly broken. | Mrs Laird's husband Hugh Laird, speaking outside the High Court in London, said: "Christine's mental health has been cruelly broken. |
| "The personal cost of all this for us is not financial - the price was so nearly her life. | "The personal cost of all this for us is not financial - the price was so nearly her life. |
| "Christine fought and won this court case. Now she will start the long fight to win back her health with the love and prayers of her friends and family. | "Christine fought and won this court case. Now she will start the long fight to win back her health with the love and prayers of her friends and family. |
| "All of us are determined that she will make a full recovery." | "All of us are determined that she will make a full recovery." |
| 'Bitter dispute' | |
| 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. |
| Chief Executive, Mind: "This is an important message to employers and employees" | |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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." | 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. |