Five managers at the office of the Auditor General have been subject to disciplinary or investigative action following complaints by staff, Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood has been told.
The Plaid Cymru AM, who has previously called for an investigation into the running of the Wales Audit Office in Cardiff, was told that its senior staff had been given advice or asked to attend courses about workplace bullying after staff allegations.
Leanne Wood submitted a Freedom of Information Act request last month to find what action had been taken against managers by the WAO, headed by Auditor General Jeremy Colman.
In its response, the WAO said five partners, senior managers had had disciplinary or investigative action taken against them following complaints by staff between April 1, 2005, and October 31, 2009.
They said that all managers had been given advice or asked to attend courses about workplace bullying following allegations made by staff.
The WAO also confirmed that two independent investigations had been carried out at the request of the WAO as a result of complaints but they refused to detail the recommendations, saying that they were exempt under the Freedom of Information Act.
Earlier this year a request made by Leanne Wood under the Freedom of Information Act found that in the last three financial years nine individual employee disputes had been registered at the office of Auditor General Jeremy Colman. In addition, two joint grievances were also registered in 2008-09.
Over the three years there had been six complaints of “detriment arising from failure to follow proper procedures”, five complaints of bullying, three of detrimental change in work provided and two of unlawful discrimination.
The Wales Audit Office told Leanne Wood that £173,904 in legal costs had been racked up covering employment disputes and changes in policies as a result of employment disputes.
They also revealed that £125,706 was paid out in settlement agreements with a further £45,542 in pension payments as a result of employment disputes.
Leanne Wood, the Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales Central, said: “This provides further evidence of an organisation that has its problems with all managers have had to go on courses or be given advice about workplace bullying.
“I will be seeking further information about the form of disciplinary action taken against staff. I think it is important the public know the form of action taken and it has not been swept under the carpet. Workplace bullying is totally unacceptable.”
Last month former Finance Minister Andrew Davies explained in the Senedd that he had successfully sought an amendment to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill which would give the Assembly the powers to introduce new governance arrangements for the Wales Audit Office. They paralleled the powers that the UK Parliament had sought in relation to the National Audit Office.
