A SECOND employee unfairly sacked by a parish authority where the entire ruling group recently resigned has won a payout of tens of thousands.

Marion Sweeney, 60, of Lambourne Road in Chigwell, worked as a clerks assistant at Buckhurst Hill Parish Council for ten years.

In 2008 she was informed that her job would be taken by a colleague, and filed an official grievance after they had failed to notify her that her position was under threat.

She kept the job until 2010.

Mrs Sweeney said: “I broke my arm and was off work for two weeks in early 2010 and when I came back they took my job away.

“Through a Freedom of Information request I gained the minutes for one of the meetings where they discussed my position, and found out that one of the reasons they wanted to get rid of me for bringing a grievance against them.”

Last month an employment tribunal found that Mrs Sweeney had been unfairly dismissed, ruling that the council should not have given one of Mrs Sweeney’s peers, who also faced redundancy, responsibility for assessing whether her job was still necessary, and that someone impartial should have been given the task.

They also criticized the authority for failing to offer Mrs Sweeney alternative employment when a job share with a colleague became available.

Last year John Lockhart, 63, of West Grove in Woodford Green was awarded £75,000 when a tribunal ruled he had been unfairly dismissed by the authority after more than 20 years of service.

This prompted the entire ruling Liberal Democrat group to walk out in November last year, leaving four Tory councillors holding the reins.

Mrs Sweeney said: “I used to love my job, it was a nice place to work and there were some good people I worked with.

“What they did to me and John was wrong. There was no reason for it. It was a clear case of victimisation.

“I am 60 and it is going to be difficult for me to find another job, I wanted to stay there until my retirement.

“The councillors who made these decisions are volunteers, and if they can’t do the job then they should leave it to the professionals.”

Buckhurst Hill Parish Council leader Gavin Chambers said: “We regret the outcome of the tribunal.

“Buckhurst Hill Parish Council will put in place policies and procedures to prevent this recurring.

“We must now look forward and concentrate on what is important for Buckhurst Hill.”

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