Ms S Hanson (in person) For the v Mr D Cole (lay representative) — 2022

The tribunal, sitting alone before Employment Judge Kenward, held that the complaint of unfair dismissal was well-founded and therefore found that Fordbridge Town Council unfairly dismissed Mr S Hanson. No other causes of action were recorded in the judgment, and the liability finding was expressed in straightforward terms without further factual narrative in the written reasons.

On remedy, the tribunal ordered compensation totalling £1,060.41. The basic award was assessed at £1,185.75 before a 50% reduction for conduct, resulting in £592.88. The compensatory award was assessed by reference to a prescribed element for loss of earnings from 23 December 2021 to 25 January 2022 and a non-prescribed element for loss of statutory rights.

The prescribed element was calculated at £767.92 before adjustments and reduced to £331.16 after a 50% Polkey reduction, a 15% uplift for the respondent's failure to comply with the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary procedures, and a further 25% reduction on the basis that the dismissal was caused or contributed to by the claimant's actions. The non-prescribed element was calculated at £316.20 before the same adjustments and reduced to £136.37. The final compensatory award was £467.53.