'What the hell are we doing here?' Councillor's fury over fire alarm blunder

"What the hell are we doing sitting here then?"

Those were the words of a councillor upon finding out, in a meeting at Welshpool Town Hall, that there was no proper working fire alarm system in the building.

Town councillor Steve Kaye, the current mayor of Welshpool, said councillors' "chins dropped to the floor" when a member of staff told them that "70 per cent" of the fire alarms weren't working.

Giving evidence at an employment tribunal looking at a wrongful dismissal and whistleblowing claim from a former employee, Mr Kaye said councillors and staff were at a meeting when the revelation was made.

He told the virtual hearing that former Welshpool town clerk Robert Robinson, who was put on gardening leave after the 2019 meeting, had previously told him that it was a simple case of "batteries needing changing". The truth was that the system needed a complete upgrade, costing tens of thousands of pounds.

Councillor Kaye told the tribunal that council employee Lizzie Davies revealed the problem at a town hall meeting.

He said Councillor Heather Sherlock asked: "What the hell are we doing sitting here then?"

Martin Bond, who was deputy town clerk at the council for three and a half months in 2019 before being fired, is making a claim against both the town council and Mr Robinson.

Mr Bond was dismissed by Councillor Kaye two weeks into a six-week review period of the deputy clerk’s employment – allegedly sparked by concerns about deteriorating relationships between staff and Mr Bond.

In his evidence, Mr Kaye said Mr Bond was "rude" and that staff didn't like his attitude, and the decision to dismiss him was made to stop other colleagues walking out.

He also said that a colleague branded Mr Bond as a "little Hitler".

"It had to be sorted for the sake of Welshpool Town Council," he said.

"We asked him (Mr Bond) to do his best to get on with the rest of the staff."

Mr Kaye said that he discussed with Mr Robinson whether it was legal for the council to terminate Mr Bond's employment. Mr Robinson told him it was legal because Mr Bond had not completed his probationary period.

The tribunal continues.