A deputy town clerk dubbed 'Martin Mugabe' and likened to a 'mini-Hitler' was sacked after starting 'World War Three' at the town council of a Welsh market town, an employment tribunal heard. Martin Bond subjected colleagues to condescending 'blasts' which reduced them to tears and sparked rows over market stalls and ladies rounders teams during his four month stint at Welshpool Town Council.
Mr Bond also clashed with Town Clerk Robert Robinson, 72, who it was envisaged he would eventually replace. However, the new deputy soon upset countless colleagues just two weeks into his new job, and was later sacked due to his unpopularity.
Nonetheless, he is now in line for compensation after successfully suing the council. Although an employment tribunal ruled he was fairly dismissed it also ruled he suffered detriments as a result of whistleblowing about the Town Hall's faulty fire alarm system.
A remedy hearing deciding on an award will be held in due course, with Mr Bond - who had an annual salary of around £30,000 - having originally sought a £166,000 payout. The Cardiff tribunal heard Mr Bond was brought in as deputy town clerk by the council of market town Welshpool, in northeastern Wales, in February 2019.
The town's then clerk, Robert Robinson, planned to retire in the coming years and intended to gradually transfer his responsibilities to Mr Bond. Though the pair began on amicable terms, the tribunal heard their relationship quickly grew 'frosty' - describing them as 'strong personalities' who were like 'chalk and cheese'.
Mr Bond upset members of the Street Scene Team when he was supposed to shadow them for an entire week but 'offended' the workers by joining them for just one morning. The team also felt the deputy clerk 'talked down' at them, nicknaming him 'Martin Mugabe'.
The then Mayor of the town, Cllr Stephen Kaye, told the tribunal he began receiving complaints from Mr Robinson's PA - Ms Moore - and Operations Manager Paul McGrath, who called Mr Bond 'mini-Hitler'.
By mid-March the tribunal heard Mr Robinson and Mr Bond were at loggerheads. On their differences, the tribunal noted: "There was a fundamental personality and style clash between Mr Robinson and Mr Bond.
"Mr Robinson's management style was built around building and maintaining personal relationships with people. He was not document driven. He did not like emails.
"Mr Bond, on the other hand, is an analytical individual. They are both strong personalities, but other than that they are like 'chalk and cheese'."
The tribunal heard Mr Bond felt his assessments that the Town Hall's fire alarm system needed updating weren't being taken seriously by 'flippant' Mr Robinson. In early April, Mr Bond had to deal with the 'aggressive behaviour' of a market trader.
He, the disgruntled trader and Mr Robinson had a meeting, in which Mr Bond felt 'undermined'. Mr Bond had also contacted the owner of a café in the market about helping her improve her one star hygiene rating.
After chasing her for progress she complained to Mr Robinson about Mr Bond speaking to her in a 'condescending manner' and a 'smarmy tone'.
Again in April, the town's ladies rounders team asked the council about being able to use a field. Mr Bond discussed the prospect of the team being given use of the town's cricket pitch with Mr McGrath, but was absent the following day.
Returning to work a day later an infuriated Mr Bond learned Mr McGrath and Mr Robinson had decided to give the team the rugby pitch instead. He fumed at Mr McGrath, 'I told you to put them on the cricket pitch', 'flew' at Mr Robinson and stormed out of his office.
That evening Mr Robinson emailed councillors, telling them 'we have an attitude issue' with Mr Bond and adding 'I got the blast today as per other occasions'.
A meeting was held in late April regarding the incident, during which Mr Bond apologised. A member of the Street Scene Team later complained to Mr Bond about a member of the team crying because he had spoken to them 'out of turn'.
After Mr Robinson heard these complaints he told Mr Bond, 'Martin, this isn't working out. You need to leave'. He advised Mr Bond to consider resigning before his upcoming probation review meeting, which he decided against.
At the probation review meeting at the start of May, it was agreed Mr Bond would 'start again' and try to 'build bridges' with colleagues. But there were further fallouts between Mr Bond the Street Scene Team - who complained about Mr Bond and of 'World War Three' in the Town Hall'.
Mr Robinson also told the tribunal he once found his PA Ms Moore 'in tears' and complaining of what she described as 'bullying' from Mr Bond. On May 15 - less than four months since he started - Mr Bond was sacked due to him not 'mixing' with staff, who the council feared would leave if he didn't.
Mr Bond launched tribunal claims of unfair dismissal and detriment due to protected disclosures he made about the fire alarm system, seeking a payout of £166,000. Though Employment Judge Rachel Harfield ruled he was fairly dismissed, he did judge Mr Robinson had 'pushed' for his sacking to prevent the disclosures of the faulty Town Hall fire alarm system coming to light.
Judge Harfield said: "Mr Bond did, at times at least, have a difficult working relationship with Mr Robinson, the Street Scene Team and Ms Moore. We do, however, find the extent that Mr Robinson was pushing for his dismissal still remained in part motivated and materially influenced by a desire to secure Mr Brown's exit to prevent the fire alarm situation coming to light."
A remedy hearing will be held in due course to decide upon compensation.
Mr Robinson was later removed and placed on 'gardening leave' after council officials discovered the majority of the Town Hall's fire alarms hadn't been working for a number of years.
