Director suspended after budget overspend

The head of social work for East Dunbartonshire council, Pam
Fenton, has been suspended from work following an investigation
into a £1.4 million overspend in her department’s
budget.

As recently as March, the council leaders predicted a
£500,000 overspend on the social work budget for 2001-02. Then
early in June the real extent of the overspend was revealed – 9 per
cent of the department’s £17.5 million budget, and an
initial investigation was ordered.

The council described Fenton’s suspension from work on
full pay as a “precautionary and neutral measure”, which will run
for two weeks in the first instance while an investigation is
pursued. There is no suggestion of fraud, but rather a possible
breach of the council’s financial management procedures.

Councillor Keith Moody, leader of East Dunbartonshire council,
said: “The council is treating this situation very seriously and is
doing everything it can, as quickly as it can to conclude
matters.”

Fenton has been head of social work since 2000 when the former
director, Brian Fearon, left his post as part of a council
management re-organisation. Formerly she was head of service
responsible for community care with the local authority.