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A social worker who claims he took voluntary early retirement after he was placed under duress by Liverpool Council has received an 11th-hour payment from the local authority after agreeing not to take his case to an employment tribunal.

Norman Smith was one of five workers suspended by the council over their conduct during a strike by children’s services staff that lasted for almost five months during 2004 and 2005. He is now an agency social worker.

A three-day tribunal was due this week but Smith called it off after the local authority offered him £6,000 last Friday (12 May).

A council spokesperson said the settlement was “no admission of  liability” but was based on the likely cost to the council of the hearing.

The spokesperson also said Smith had signed an agreement taking voluntary early retirement of his “own free will and without being caused to do so by any threat, duress, coercion or pressure” from the council.