See answers to previous information requests

1. How many employees were dismissed by your local authority for disciplinary reasons in the financial year 2024/25? Please indicate the reasons for any dismissals, eg misconduct or poor performance.
There were a total of 7 dismissals. 3 capability, 1 conduct, 3 probation.

2. How many employees ceased being employed by your local authority in the financial year 2024/25 by mutual (or settlement) agreements? If recorded, please advise how many of these cases included non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)?
There were 6 recorded settlement agreements reached with WBC staff who departed the council’s employment in the financial year of 2024/2025.
We don’t keep a record of the terms included within settlement agreements (in recorded form). However, I can provide the following information with regards to the following “please advise how many of these cases included non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)”:
The terms of individual settlement agreements are negotiated based on the individual circumstances of the case. There will commonly be a limited confidentiality clause within the terms of an individual settlement agreement, to maintain confidentiality regarding the fact and terms of the agreement itself. However, any such confidentiality clause will expressly state that nothing within that clause prevents an individual from making a protected disclosure, reporting any suspected criminal offence, or making any disclosures required by a regulator, ombudsman, or supervisory authority. It is also a term of any settlement agreement that any individual is required to obtain independent legal advice on the terms of the agreement.