Parc (Essex) charity staff awarded £166k after tribunal

All PARC staff lost their jobs when funding for the charity was withdrawn

Twenty-one former staff members of a failed Essex charity have been awarded a total of £166,000 by an employment tribunal.

Parc (Essex), which provided respite care for families of children with additional needs, closed last year.

The BBC revealed tens of thousands of pounds could not be accounted for after the county council withdrew funding.

Parc's management and trustees did not contest the claim at the employment tribunal in East London.

There were separate awards for each member of staff who brought a claim ranging from £231 to £18,320.

The former staff members brought claims over unfair dismissal, redundancy payments, breach of contract and unpaid holiday wages, according to court documents shared with the BBC.

They were all told they no longer had jobs and would not be paid when the charity closed in June 2022.

Lost funding

The tribunal heard no dismissal notices were issued nor did the staff receive P45s, a tax statement issued at the end of someone's employment.

Former chief executive Chris McCann, who represented Parc's trustees, told the tribunal it was being placed into voluntary liquidation.

At the hearing last February, he confirmed the charity had lost its funding and that it now accepted the entire workforce had been made redundant when is ceased operations.

Mr McCann said he expressed sympathy for the staff concerned and that it would not be challenging their claims.

Uncertainty

Former employee Chris Frisbee says there's uncertainty over whether he and his colleagues will receive any money

However, there was uncertainty over whether the claimants would actually see any of this money when it emerged during the hearing that the charity was being put into liquidation.

Employment Judge Lynne Townley said she hoped the judgment "provides the basis for the claimants to seek redress through the appropriate government agencies".

Former health and safety officer at Parc, Chris Frisbee, said of the money awarded to staff: "I cannot see it being easy to get if it's able to be got at all."

He added the closure could leave up to 300 families struggling to find respite care for children who often exhibited challenging behaviour.

"It's left a bad taste in the mouth. Families in Essex used this as their fourth emergency service and I when I go out shopping I meet families who say 'is Parc ever opening back up?'" he added.

"We would have kids with behavioural issues - those children are now swinging in the wind. There isn't enough provision to take these sort of children."

'Counting anomaly'

Last year it was disclosed at least £64,000 of funding provided to the charity by Essex County Council could not be matched with services the money was intended for.

A letter to parents and staff from the trustees disclosed a "counting anomaly" had been uncovered but did not provide further details.

There is no evidence the money was misappropriated or any suggestion of wrongdoing.

Mr McCann and the other trustees said they had no comment on the employment tribunal outcome.

A spokesperson for Essex County Council said: "Following Parc's closure, the council and some of its providers worked quickly to ensure there was alternative provision for the 140 families impacted.

"One year on and we have now recommissioned the short breaks clubs and activities offer, which mobilised across Essex in April 2023.

"This is being received well by children and young people, who are enjoying what is on offer."

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