Part 2: Former employee who quit “made an example of”, says resignation statement
Allegations of improper behaviour
Parts of the resignation statement of former Dartington trustee Glenn Woodcock draw attention to the treatment of a former senior employee of the trust who he believed was subject to a “heavy-handed” inquiry over allegations of improper behaviour.
The trust acted appropriately.
The former employee – who left the organisation last year – was later exonerated.
“I felt [the treatment] was indicative of other situations [concerning other individuals at Dartington] that seemed to be being handled in a similar heavy-handed manner without appropriate care and consideration given the delicate nature of the circumstances,” Woodcock’s statement reads. “The approach taken appeared to be heavy-handed with discussions indicating a desire to ‘make an example of [the person’s] situation’.”
Taken aback
Woodcock says in the document he was taken aback by the lack of information about the affair given to trustees. “I still do not know the specifics [of the allegations against the person] as [the matter] was subject to a ‘closed investigation’.”
Robert Fedder, Dartington Hall Trust’s interim chief executive, said: “There were grounds to investigate some aspects of a previous employee’s behaviour. The trust acted appropriately. The employee had resigned voluntarily before we determined the need to investigate. Later [when the inquiry was finished] the person was exonerated.”
While the ex-employee is identified in Woodcock’s statement, Totnes Pulse has decided not to provide a name.
Woodcock also says in his resignation statement he was disturbed by the engagement by the trust of a big US-based law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner to provide legal advice at what he regarded as an excessive cost. BCLP’s appointment was suggested by Lord David Triesman, Dartington Hall Trust’s chair, and David Buchler, a key adviser who Triesman brought in. The legal business describes itself as an “international powerhouse” with over 1,200 lawyers in 31 offices around the world. It says it has advised more than a third of the biggest 500 companies in the US.
Some onlookers have expressed surprise at a small charity with income in 2021/22 of just under £15m engaging such a big firm.
Shocked
Woodcock’s statement says the terms and conditions of BCLP’s appointment “remained elusive” for some time, despite “repeated requests from myself and other trustees”. When the expected costs of the firm’s engagement were eventually disclosed, Woodcock says he was “shocked”, adding “it seemed these were fees that a charity in its [weak] financial state could ill afford”.
The approach taken appeared to be heavy-handed
Fedder said the trust had no concerns about the work of BCLP nor the size of payments and that it had offered good value for money.
It is believed BCLP has charged the trust at a lower rate than what it would expect from its normal corporate clients and has decided not to bill for some of its work.
BCLP did not respond to requests for a comment.