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Transformation of Childrens' Services
Printed in Southern Reporter, 9 October 2008.
Top schools official given okay to work from home – 288 miles away
By Andrew Keddie
A SENIOR education official, closely involved with a major review of schools in the Borders, has been given dispensation to work from her house in Rugby – some 288 miles from Scottish Borders Council headquarters at Newtown St Boswells.
And on her own admission, Leona Bendall, communications and policy development manager, has been carrying out her duties from her Warwickshire home for the past year.
But the arrangement has been slammed by Independent opposition Councillor David Paterson.
"I am absolutely horrified this key officer who is helping steer through major changes affecting the terms and conditions of our teachers, and the future of our children has been allowed to work so far away from her office," said the Hawick member. "I'm all for more flexible working, but surely not in somewhere like Rugby, which is a five-hour drive away, when there are so many concerns about our schools.
"This falls into the 'you couldn't make it up' category."
Mr Paterson was referring to Mrs Bendall's role in the Transforming Children's Services (TCS) review which is out to public consultation until October 27. Its recommendations include cutting the number of primary heads and radically reducing the number of promoted posts in our schools. A series of staff and public meetings, concluding in Kelso on Monday, have been held across the region.
On Tuesday, Mrs Bendall, who started with the council in 2002 and lived in Kelso, told TheSouthern that, last year, she informed education director Glenn Rodger of her intention to leave the council and return to the Midlands. "We did not want to be too far away from our family, particularly our grandchildren," said Mrs Bendall. "But because of my involvement with the TCS review and a desire to see it through, the homeworking arrangement was mutually agreed and formally approved by SBC's human resources department.
"I do a full working day at home and come to the office (in Newtown] every other week. I think the arrangement works well and I am always contactable by phone or email by those who need to speak to me."
She recalled, for instance, that when she received news at 10pm that Galashiels primary headteacher Irene Hogg had gone missing (she was later found dead), she (Mrs Bendall) was in her office at 8am the next day.
And Mrs Bendall revealed she would finally depart the council at the end of the financial year (March 31, 2009).
Given Mrs Bendall's admission she wanted to leave the council last year, TheSouthern sought an explanation of why, in April this year, she was granted an enhanced early retirement package. She was one of SBC's 51 employees who shared more than £2million in severance payments. Of the 29 education staff who applied for the packages, only four, including Mrs Bendall, were approved.<br>
The £24,000 she will receive when she leaves includes an “early retirement added lump sum” of more than £8,000, according to a private report approved by councillors on April 24.
Mr Paterson blasted: “Why should someone who has already indicated she wants to leave, be entitled to an extra golden handshake? I will be writing to chief executive David Hume demanding an explanation.”
SBC’s head of human resources Tracey Logan responded to emails from TheSouthern saying: “I’m sure you appreciate that I am not able to comment on individuals and their working arrangements.”
But Mrs Logan commended new flexible working policies which will see more SBC staff working from home and which were approved by councillors last month. Members heard any extra costs incurred from homeworking would be balanced by more efficient use of buildings.
“We see this as a very positive step forward,” said Mrs Logan. “We hope that by offering opportunities to move away from the traditional working hours and patterns, we will facilitate the transformation of the organisation and improve our ability to recruit and retain staff.”
Asked about the geographical parameters of homeworking, Mrs Logan stated: “There are no specific limits: all requests will be considered, but obviously we will not be able to accommodate all of them.”
Mrs Bendall told us yesterday: “I’ve seen your emails and I don’t want to talk to you.”
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