A social worker who claimed he was sacked for 'whistleblowing' has had his case for unfair dismissal rejected by an industrial tribunal.

The tribunal unanimously decided that Charles Faber was fairly dismissed for financial mismanagement by Cardiff County Council.

Charles Faber was suspended and later sacked

Mr Faber had claimed he was victimised by the council after revealing his concerns about the council's children's services department to the BBC Wales programme, Week In Week Out.

But the authority always maintained it suspended and later sacked Mr Faber because of financial mismanagement.

The council alleged that he paid himself more than �20,000 overtime in one year.

Reasonable

Following a hearing in Cardiff, the tribunal decided the council believed on reasonable grounds that the applicant had done what was alleged against him.

In a letter to the council, the tribunal said: "Their (the council's) decision that this amounted to gross misconduct was within the band of reasonable responses and that they operated a fair procedure.

"Accordingly we find that the applicant was not unfairly dismissed."

Deputy Mayor Christine Priday said the council had maintained throughout that Mr Faber was dismissed for gross mismanagement and not, as he alleged, for 'whistleblowing'.

She said: "I am very pleased that the tribunal found the council acted in a responsible way and followed all the correct procedures."

In March, more than 3,000 council staff went out on strike in support of Mr Faber.

Six months later, a report by the Audit Commission agreed that Cardiff's social services department was exposing vulnerable children to unacceptable risks.