Islington Council’s HR function is in crisis after it emerged that another senior employee has quit in the wake of bullying and harassment allegations against HR director Maria King.
Talent manager Subo Shanmuganathan resigned last month and left with immediate effect. Her decision follows an earlier resignation by another senior member of the council’s HR team.
An independent investigation into the serious allegations against King is continuing, with grievances understood to have been filed by several senior members of her HR team.
Council sources confirmed to Personnel Today that the external investigator’s report was due to be handed to local authority bosses early next week.
Council auditors have also been scrutinising financial contracts covering more than £1m of HR consultancy work dating back several years.
King is understood to still be working in a different location away from the HR team while the investigation continues.
Vaughan West, branch secretary at Islington Council for the GMB union, said the situation was having a corrosive effect on the HR team, and called for a speedy resolution to the matter.
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“The uncertainty surrounding the issue makes it difficult for [the union] to do any real business with the council.”
An Islington Council spokesman refused to confirm that Shanmuganathan had resigned, but added: “There is currently an investigation under way following staff complaints. This has not yet concluded and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further on it at this time.”
