Friday 19 September 2014

Brent Council 'disappointed and surprised' by findings that their employee was racially discriminated against, victimised and constructively dismissed

Following my story below LINK on the findings of the Employment Tribunals in the case of Rosemary Clarke vs the London Borough of Brent and Cara Davani, Brent Council has issued the following statement:
The council has robust, up-to-date policies around equalities, whistleblowing, bullying and harassment and we take these issues extremely seriously.
We are committed to equal and fair treatment for all our staff who are from a hugely diverse range of backgrounds and represent the diversity of our unique borough.
We are disappointed and surprised by the findings in this case and are currently seeking legal advice. Therefore we are not able to comment on the case any further at this stage.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

First para is a paste job from Rent-a-Statement and can be ignored.

Second para is not a reaction to the Tribunal verdict and could have been made by any council anywhere at any point in the last 25 years. ( And, anyway, the tribunal verdict seems to be pointing out that the council is by no means 'committed' enough).

Third para. 'Disappointed and surprised'. Why? They were aware of the evidence, Ms Davani is an HR expert and Ms Ledden would have given top quality legal input. How could anything have possibly gone wrong?

Let's hope the legal advice they're seeking turns out to be, 'Don't waste our money, guv, they've got you bang to rights. Cut your losses. (And two of your staff).

Mike Hine

Anonymous said...

Too right Mike! The truth has been revealed and it is there in black and white for all to see.

Anonymous said...

and stop wasting money on highly paid , highly questionable managers instead of funding front-line services

Anonymous said...

Do you think she cares about front line services?

Anonymous said...

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth ....simples!

Anonymous said...

Cara DAVANI should be removed from her HR role. You cannot have a racist and a bully heading up public sector hr services. It's about time she has finally been exposed. She has had this disgraceful reputation long before working in Brent council.

Anonymous said...

Who manages equalities, whistleblowing, bullying and harassment in the council? Who's in charge of monitoring and ensuring they are robust?

They're disappointed - well they're not as disappointed as I am - I'm a council tax payer.

Anonymous said...

Somebody needs to be held accountable for this the dreadful discrimination faced by this former Council employee.

Anonymous said...

Top brass in both commercial organizations and public organization think they can just do as they please.

Get rid of all of them. Gilbert Ledden and Davani need to GO! Go !! Go !!!

Anonymous said...

Disappointed? Well I for one am very satisfied. Surprised? It was predictable, there could only be one outcome.

Anonymous said...

Who the hell put out this statement, are they for real, Disappointed and Surprised! Brent staff have never been happier. Davani's actions have been covered up for way too long. Now that her and Mildred have been found guilty of wrongdoing lets see if they will be getting the sack for misconduct. If they don't Brent Council staff must take action seeing as the senior management don't have the balls. Unbelievable the blatancy. She will certainly not be missed, staff will be more productive when she goes, less fear in the workplace.

Anonymous said...

Very positive outcome. Now she needs to leave the London borough of Brent and take her attitude with her. The leadership team needs to go too, they are all collaborators and a network of dishonest people.

Anonymous said...

The whole leadership team are accountable they knew what was happening and chose to stand by and do nothing. But they'll still have their jobs and power whilst the tax payer foots the bill for the appeal.

Unknown said...

She may not care about front-line services but the people in Brent do...This scandal is very bad for the Council's 'so-called' Leaders coming at a time when they are cutting low paid jobs and paying ridiculous hourly rates to consultants who have no regard for ethical management

Anonymous said...

Ermm Davani is in charge of all of the above and she most probably made the decision to appeal. Those that had any doubt are too fearful to raise concerns. Question is in whose best interest is it in that Brent stumps up for this appeal? Those that are struggling to pay for food and warmth or Davani's?

Anonymous said...

Why have we constructed such a system that those who can least afford to pay for legal and mount such a successful legal while the likes of Davani get to hide behind Brent Council footing the bill ?

Anonymous said...

No word of a lie DAVANI is the worst person I gave ever met representing HR.

Anonymous said...

A little bit of tenacity goes a long way. Well done to those that pursue this subject, keep it alive for the publics knowledge and awareness.

Anonymous said...

I think the term is joint enterprise! The whole pyramid must be brought down. They all knew what was going on, decided to do nothing about it...in fact extended Gilberts contract - until the new year...by all accounts Jan - Dec 2015 is a new year, so I suspect she will go somewhere in between. They are put in these roles to not lay down, but to stand up to corruption and make decisions for the benefit of residents. These white (and they all are) senior directors have been lining their pockets long enough and waiting for an opportunity to move up the ranks.

The council have been ignoring the seriousness of these allegations and others, as raised in previous blogs. This again goes to show how corrupt they all are. Butt was re-elected, so I suppose that they thought they were on to a winner and this would all go away!! They probably took direction from the same sensitive and in touch communications person, that prepared the councils statement!

The truth has come out and justice has prevailed for Rosemarie Clarke what courage!

How can the most diverse borough have a known racist bully in its ranks? A person who is supposed to be the guardian of equality as part of the leadership team. This is surely 'loss of confidence'. Brent Council staff your leadership is leading themselves to their own bank accounts and egos. They are not working for the benefit of you or the people of Brent. In fact, they are blaming you - says Ledden at the tribunal!

How much has this and will this cost residents of the borough? I recall from a previous blog that the word 'public interest' was banded about in relation to information released. Well it is not in the public interest to appeal. Especially when the appeal is in the interest of clearing named individuals AND for no other benefit. With the decision makers in personal relationships with eachother - it's is a laughing stock. This all should have stopped so long ago.

The suffering that Rosemarie Clarke had to endure at the hands of this borough and Davani.

I suggest that Davani is given an oyster card for her travel (if she doesnt still have it)- as residents wouldn't want her to suffer any loss to income and shown the front door!

She can name one of her dogs Racist Bully....woof woof.....

Anonymous said...

The hr department writes glossy annual workforce reports that are meaningless. As you mentioned the head of diversity is not even from a minority ethnic group. All the senior mangers I echo are white, there is no senior directors from ethnic minority backgrounds. Brent council does not represent the community it serves at leadership level. Have a good read of their most recent ANNUAL WORKFORCE REPORT! The recommendations written by the hr team which Cara approves before it goes to CMT are just for paper sake not for seriously taking forward. Their all wasters get rid of them, implement the independent inquiry, dismiss them and let's start afresh for the London borough of Brent. If we don't stand for something, well accept anything and ultimately this affects in the long term a whole next generation. Bring down and tear down her empire, she don't belong in Brent because she's weak and as the employment tribunal found, CARA DAVANI IS A RACIST BULLY THAT HARASSES HUMAN BEINGS

Anonymous said...

The ones with something to hide are the ones who constructed such a system

Anonymous said...

They think that residents are stupid! They are not taking this seriously - this was issed on 4th September a matter of serious importance doesnt take a rocket scientist to know that it doesnt take 15 days to seek legal guidance!

If so, that's a worry as they have the technology - they know pretty sharpish if I havent paid my council tax!

If nothing else they are not fit for their purpose as they should have been preparing a statement for reasons such as this blog and to tell residents what they are doing about this situation. Knowing what they know and if they had any respect or thought that this matter was serious, they would have told staff and residents and prepared a statement of substance and sent it out, before Martin's update.

They aren't bothered or taking this seriously and from reading the other posts, Davani could have written this statement herself!

This is a matter of deep concern and importance. According to the councils annual workforce report - the majority of staff are from a BME and Brent is 1 of the 2 most diverse boroughs in London/UK. I take this to mean that the most of the people who work for them are BME and the people who are residents are from a non white background - very interesting! THERE IS NO PLACE FOR A NAMED RACIST BULLY.

However all senior managers are white! I've read how they have treated staff and I hate to imagine what they think and how they treat residents. I have read previously about the unrelenting efforts of Martin and others to meet with councillors to discuss and get answers on these matters.

This is an emotional matter - for all concerned as we have read about this appalling treatment of Ms Clarke.

However we have a responsibility and not accept that the council havent/arent going to do anything. We can't get hoodwinked and blinded by emotion and she/they have to go...since the summer, 4th Sept they are all still there.

The council did nothing then - they all knew it was happening and they passed policies that led right back to Davani - we even paid for the privilege of Davani to travel here to do it! Gilbert will be here until next year and Butt's been re-elected.

They did nothing re the last blogs and I doubt that they will do anything now...well in the 2 weeks that they received the judgement anyway...

Butt jumps at the photo op to stamp our racism in other parties (May 18) but meets with them on a daily basis.

Forward links to this blog to other residents and follow the democratic process....One can only imagine how difficult it was for Ms Clarke.

Seeking legal advice, appeal - for what reason. Not with my money! Yet another bad decision on behalf of these self serving group Ms Clarke has been through enough and residents have paid enough.

Read this blog Brent Council, the advice has been given for free and you havent had to wait 2 weeks....


Anonymous said...

Great point about Councillor Butt.

2 faced hypocrite if he does nothing about Ms Davani.

He does not deserve any respect if he does not immediately call for her resignation.

Anonymous said...

This is not the only example of racist behaviour and nepotism involving Cara.

The only Senior Manager - BME Director of Children's Services was replaced with a white ex colleague of Cara Davani. Several HR staff who were BME were reorganised out or pushed out and anyone who remotely could challenge her and had any sense of integrity were manipulated to leave too.

Her new partner is the Head of the employment legal section and so who provides the independent audit of her actions? She was brought in by an ex colleague who she got rid of and how did she get appointed to a permanent post in the first place; where was the fair and open recruitment process? Its believed that the post was never advertised.

A lot of questions that ought to be asked of the administration and senior managers which probably never will be.

Anonymous said...

Post was advertised but she made herself permanent and started using the title long before the closing date for applications of the post, would be nice to see if they actually interviewed anyone for the post.

Anonymous said...

She was most probably the only interviewee with Butt and Gilbert as the panel.

Anonymous said...

It's all corrupt! Wasn't there a previous post about a directors appointment and 'Butt owes us one' as put by Clive Heapy to Davani. They don;t care about processes and doing the right thing as show by the Clarke victory.

Anonymous said...

Since Davani how many senior managers are BME? How many have gone since she arrived?

Anonymous said...

Lost count of all the BME seniors who have gone. I think its only the one that was in charge of the civic centre build that's left and actually i haven't seen him in a while either...

Anonymous said...

Well he was given a big fat job in Planning over a member of staff who actually knows the job. It's all about who you know and not about who can do the job up in the great big civic centre.

Anonymous said...

Davani has no business working with people, she needs to stick to animals.