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Widow's fury at 'draconian' city council
THE widow of a council manager who hanged himself after suffering from stress has slammed the authority for "draconian" work policies on the first anniversary of his death.
Web manager Martin Cousins committed suicide on July 5, 2007, because he believed he was facing the sack from Leeds City Council after he was forced to take a few weeks sick leave, caused by mounting pressure in the workplace.
Today, Janice Cousins, pictured with her husband, has spoken exclusively to the YEP to demand answers from the council, which she described as "despicable".
She said: "He did the same job at another council for six years, with no problems. Within 12 months of joining Leeds, he was dead.
"His face didn't fit, he couldn't do the amount of work he was supposed to do, he lost his confidence and became ill. It's a despicable way to treat somebody."
Martin, who started work at Leeds City Council in July 2006, was forced to take a short period of sick leave after a few months because, said Janice, he was under too much pressure in the office.
After a second period of sick leave, the council called an ill health capability procedure against him – and the 45-year-old thought he was facing the sack. The father-of-three hanged himself at his mother's house in Dartford, Kent, a few days later.
Janice added: "They had the opportunity to redeploy him on a temporary basis to allow him to get his health back – but they wanted to get rid of him before he had the employment rights he would have had after 12 months."
"The council is adamant that what they expected from him was reasonable but I'm afraid I can't believe that."
A Leeds City Council spokesman said: "The council commissioned an immediate and independent review into its policies.
"It concluded the council had not breached its duty of care towards Mr Cousins. At the time of his death, the council was intending to hold a formal hearing to decide what action should be taken.
"Dismissal would also have been an option but such action is always the absolute last resort."
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Weather for Leeds
Sunday 12 February 2012
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