A "CLIMATE of fear" has emerged among South Lakeland District Council staff claims a union boss, after the suspension of a senior officer apparently over comments he made to The Westmorland Gazette, reports Luke Dicicco.

Environmental Services Manager Mark Richardson was suspended on full pay just a few hours after the Gazette hit the shops last Friday, Unison has confirmed.

Although Mr Richardson is yet to receive official notification from SLDC explaining the reasons for his suspension, Unison officials approached the Gazette this week to request a copy of the transcript of the conversation between Mr Richardson and a Gazette reporter.

In the story Mr Richardson whose responsibilities range from flooding to dog control expressed concern over proposals to axe a low-cost vermin killing service as part of a financial review of its pest control services.

He told the Gazette last week that he would "not personally welcome" the move because it could lead to people passing the buck on rat and mice infestations.

Keith Dovaston, Unison's regional officer for the North West, said Mr Richardson's suspen-sion appeared "heavy handed" in light of over two decades of "exemplary service".

"It stinks that they are rewarding a keen and helpful employee with this suspension," he said. "Obviously he denies any wrong doing unless they (SLDC) have any real hard evidence I can't see this lasting long.

"But it is difficult to comment in greater detail because we have not yet been told exactly what he has been suspended for."

However, Acting Chief Executive at SLDC Mike Jones refused to confirm or deny if the suspension had taken place. "All staff disciplinary matters are dealt with internally. It would not be fair to anyone involved in such matters for me to make any public comment," he said.

When contacted by the Gazette, Mr Richardson who Unison say was commended by SLDC chiefs for working 27 hours consecutively to tackle flooding in South Lakeland following severe weather last month declined to comment.

Mr Dovaston said that the suspension of the well-respected environmental services manager had also hit morale among staff, who are still reeling from the pay and grading review which sparked the nine-month suspension of SLDC's finance director and chief executive, who has since retired.

Mr Dovaston said Unison was eager to work with SLDC to resolve issues before suspensions were made because of the impact it had on staff morale. "Staff should not be managed by fear, but there is clearly a climate of fear among staff because of this suspension," he said.

This week two senior officers declined to speak to the Gazette when contacted for comments on unrelated stories. One told a reporter: "It's not in my career interest to talk to you."

A decision on whether Mr Richardson will face disciplinary action should be made within following the next few weeks.