Council’s top social worker driven out, says colleague

ABERDEEN City Council’s former chief social worker, who quit weeks before a crucial follow-up inspection of the department, was “driven out” of her job, it was claimed last night.

One of Sandra Power’s former colleagues spoke out on the day the Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA) returned to the city to assess whether 23 recommendations for improvement have been implemented.

Council bosses approved Ms Power’s request for early retirement late last month – even although inspectors expected to interview her.

Labour councillors claimed the Liberal Democrat/SNP administration did not seek advice from city solicitor Jane MacEachran before agreeing to let her go.

It is understood that the council’s chief executive Sue Bruce has admitted privately that mistakes have been made.

Ms Power’s former boss, Abigail Tierney, announced last week she was stepping down as the head of strategic leadership at the council after three-and-a-half years to take up a new job with the NHS in Leicester

The social worker, who asked not to be named, said staff were angry with the way Ms Power had been treated by the authority in recent times.

He said she was fighting a losing battle because of the way the social work department was structured within the organisation.

“Sandra Power was driven out of her job, which is a disgrace,” said the social worker.

“She could not handle the administrative part of the multi-task job she was given as she was a coalface social worker.”

Another source said the biggest problem faced by Ms Power, who joined the council in 2006, was there were “no clear managerial responsibilities” attached to her role despite the title.

“There was no job in the council’s structures when she applied for it,” added the source.

“When she was initially appointed she did not have any power over anybody and just answered to former chief executive Douglas Paterson.

“But she would have had to carry the can if a child was murdered because she was the person legally responsible.”

The council was criticised last year in two social work reports last year, one on child protection and the other on its delivery of social work services.
Challenges

SWIA said morale was “very low” and managers and councillors were not showing strong leadership.

Inspectors said councillors were not always well-informed about the challenges facing services, and there was a “lack of clarity about the role of chief social work officer”.

Opposition councillors claimed last week they were not told about Ms Power’s sudden departure.

Council leader Kate Dean said she was not prepared to discuss the reasons behind the move which “shocked” social work spokesman Gordon Leslie.

She said all staff were entitled to apply for early retirement under the authority’s voluntary severance and early-retirement policy.