Time line 1997: National local government employers agreed that local government workers should enjoy single status - to ensure equal pay for work of equal value across the organisation. SLDC decided that a new job evaluation and grading structure was needed to implement single status.

November 27, 2002: SLDC cabinet agreed to take on Taylor West Associates to carry out the second stage of the pay and grading project.

June 4 and 17, 2003: Chief executive Philip Cunliffe told the cabinet and the joint consultative panel, and later the general purposes committee, that the management team had arrived at a system which it could support to members and trade unions.

June to September 2003: The management team, with Andrew Taylor, the human resources manager, tried to find a suitable scheme.

September 5, 2003: The unions accepted the proposed system for the new pay and grading structure.

September 24 and 29, 2003: SLDC cabinet and then the general purposes committee agreed to the pay and grading scheme.

September 2003: SLDC is given a "weak" rating by the Audit Commission in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment, which said it "lacked drive for improvement at the top of the organisation".

October 8, 2003: The human resources department sent out details of the new grades to departmental managers for checking.

January 8 and 27, 2004: SLDC monitoring officer and director of finance Jack Jones reported about the extra costs in the scheme which had been indentified.

April 15, 2004: The general purposes committee decided that there was reason to instigate a disciplinary investigation into the conduct of the chief executive, Philip Cunliffe; the director of finance, Jack Jones; and the human resources manager, Andrew Taylor.

April 19, 2004: A joint meeting of the cabinet and general purposes committee decided that Mr Cunliffe, Mr Jones and Mr Taylor should be suspended on full pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

September 2004: Mr Taylor resigned from the council.

December 2004: A formal hearing started at the Crooklands Hotel. It lasted five days in total and one session was held at Kendal's Castle Green Hotel.

January 2004: Rodney Brooke reported back to SLDC with his findings.

January 14, 2004: SLDC accepted Mr Brooke's findings, and resolved to adopt the recommendations put forward by him.