Sacked deputy head in posh nosh claims
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A DEPUTY headmaster who was sacked for his role in a £1.6 million bonus scandal has accused council chiefs of quaffing wine at plush dinners organised by the school.
Richard Evans was fired after an investigation into Copland Community School, in Cecil Avenue, Wembley, discovered several members of senior staff had been paid huge six-figure bonuses over seven years.
A report into the scandal criticised the school for hosting lavish dinners, which were held annually for seven years at the House of Commons.
But according to Dr Evans, a former Tory parliamentary candidate and education adviser to David Cameron, the council were aware of the events and a string of their officials, including John Christie, the borough's education boss, enjoyed the sumptuous feasts.
He said: "We had many guests, mostly from Brent Council, local councillors, headteachers from other schools, people from the Department for Children and Families and some politicians.
"John Christie himself enjoyed many dinners.
"No reservations were expressed and the school was praised for its innovative methods of networking."
Adding that he was praised by council chiefs for raising thousands from the events, he said: "If holding these dinners was so wrong, despite the fact that they raised around £400,000 for the school, why did John Christie, his previous directors of education and his colleagues, including those from the finance department, attend again and again, and thank me, instead of giving me some warning that what I was doing was wrong and that I was heading for serious trouble?"
Dr Evans was sacked by a panel presiding over a disciplinary hearing which he failed to attend, while Sir Alan Davies, the school's headteacher, stepped down shortly before he was due to attend a similar hearing.
Michelle Bishop, the head of human resources, resigned after the scandal broke and Columbus Odokoro, the school's bursar, also handed in his notice.
All were suspended from their posts when geography teacher, Hank Roberts, lifted the lid on the payments.
The school's governing body, who rubber-stamped the payments, were sacked by Ed Balls, the Government's Education Minister.
While Evans and his colleagues lined their pockets, pupils were being taught in cold, draughty classrooms and others in temporary huts.
In the meantime, the planned ambitious £120m redevelopment of the school was constantly shelved.
Dr Evans, who is believed to have pocketed more than £300,000 in bonuses, also hit out at Mr Roberts, claiming he attended a number of dinners.
He said: "I recall that he (Mr Roberts) enjoyed them hugely, always wearing his red bow tie."
The payments are currently being investigated by the police.
Mr Roberts told the Times he went to the first dinner as Copland's staff were invited.
He added: "Evans is acting in sheer desperation by trying to implicate other people. All staff were invited to the first dinner and rapidly thereafter few and fewer staff were invited and more and more hangers-on, their friends and political allies.
"Evans says the dinners raised £400,000 but more than that was spent on rewarding himself and others extra payments."
A council spokeswoman said Mr Christie attended one dinner in 2008.
She added: "He understood that the dinner was a celebratory event funded by sponsors with no cost to the school. He had no reason at the time to warn Dr Evans that the dinner was inappropriate.
"The council acted swiftly when it was made aware of the allegations of serious financial mismanagement at the school.
"The council fully supports the decision of the Interim Executive Board to dismiss Dr Richard Evans from his post as deputy head teacher at Copland Community School."
lorraine.king@archant.co.uk
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Wembley & Kingsbury
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