Council suspends head of social work

The head of social work of East Dunbartonshire Council, Pam
Fenton, has been suspended from work following an investigation
into a budget overspend by her department of some £1.4m.

In March council leaders predicted a £500,000 overspend on
the social work budget for 2001-2. Then early in June the real
extent of the overspend was revealed – 9 per cent of the
department’s £17.5m budget – and an initial investigation was
ordered.

The local authority described Fenton’s suspension from work on
full pay as “precautionary and neutral measure” which will run for
two weeks in the first instance while a disciplinary investigation
is pursued.

There is no suggestion of fraud but rather a possible breach of
the council’s financial management procedures.

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.

Fenton was formerly head of community care services at the local
authority.