UPDATE: Strathspey Railway Company chiefs respond to allegations of bullying and harassment
By Gavin Musgrove
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[email protected]
Published: 18:00, 20 October 2023
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Updated: 12:32, 21 October 2023
The board of the Strathspey Railway Company Limited has provided a lengthy response to allegations made by some of the company’s employees and volunteers.
The operators of the Strathspey steam railway have responded to allegations made against some board members.
It appears in full and as submitted below:
The Strathspey Railway Company (SRC) is a 'not for profit' company set up in 1971 to own and operate a heritage railway between Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey.
Currently it runs a seasonal service between Aviemore and Broomhill using a combination of paid staff and volunteers.
The SRC currently has 318 Shareholders including the Strathspey Railway Association (SRA) which owns 44 per cent of the share capital.
The Strathspey Railway Association (SRA) was formed in 1972 and is now a charitable company for supporters of the Strathspey Railway providing grants and loans to it and associated entities.
It also owns a significant shareholding in the SRC. It currently has approximately 840 members and is run by a board of trustees.
The SRC board first became aware of concerns being expressed about their management of the Railway shortly before the company’s AGM on 9 September.
They were advised that a petition was being circulated amongst paid staff and active volunteers which contained a number of general and unsubstantiated allegations, an expression of no confidence in the board and a demand that they resign immediately to allow a new board to be appointed to run the company.
At no time was the board formally approached for a meeting to discuss these concerns.
Notwithstanding and recognising the strength of feeling being expressed by, an at the time an unknown number of people, a joint meeting was held on 9 September between representatives of the SRC and SRA boards.
The SRA trustees tabled a list of concerns and suggestions for changes to the way the railway was run and managed which were generally thought to mirror those of those signing the petition.
It was agreed by all parties that certain changes were required as reflected in an outcomes document which was widely circulated via the SRC internal communications distribution list.
Shortly after that meeting and notwithstanding the agreement reached between the SRC and SRA, it became apparent that staff both paid and volunteers were still being urged to sign the Petition demanding the SRC Board’s immediate resignation.
As the petition had still not been seen by the SRC directors, steps were taken to find out who was responsible for trying to undermine the SRC board and to interfere with a process already agreed with the SRA board.
This resulted in an SRC director asking a member of staff about the petition and who was responsible for its instigation.
As a consequence, the petition, which had been signed by 42 paid and volunteer staff, was finally made available.
This resulted in a grievance being raised against the director who was accused of bullying and harassment in attempting to find the origin of the document.
Whilst the director does not accept the accusation the matter is currently the subject of an investigation in accordance with the company’s bullying and harassment and grievances policies.
Accordingly, it would be inappropriate for the company to comment further on this matter at the present time.
Company takes very seriously any allegations of bullying and harassment
The company takes very seriously any allegations of bullying and harassment and if any such allegations are brought to the attention of the board they will immediately investigate and take whatever actions are necessary.
One outcome of the meeting on 9th September was agreement that the SRC and SRA would jointly convene a meeting of all staff and any others interested to allow them to contribute to the change process agreed by the boards on 9th September.
The meeting was also designed to allow those who had signed to petition to elaborate and substantiate their concerns but more importantly make constructive suggestions as to the sort of changes they would like to see.
Prior to the start of the current running season a meeting for all paid staff, volunteers and supporters of the railway was jointly hosted by the SRC and the SRA on 18 March 2023.
A series of presentations was given on all aspects of the railway together with plans for the coming season.
This included an open forum to allow for questions and was an opportunity for those attending to raise any concerns they may have had about the way the railway was being managed.
Questions were asked but none related to the allegations now being made against the SRC board.
To help demonstrate impartiality the meeting held on Tuesday 17 October 2023 was chaired by an SRA trustee with no direct involvement with either the staff or the management of the SRC.
The director outlined the agenda and then showed a simplified view of the present finances.
This showed a worrying deterioration in the cash flow projection.
There has been a loss of income as a result of the Flying Scotsman incident and
subsequent cancellations amounting to a six figure loss in refunds to passengers.
This, together with the seasonal Santa Express, currently on hold pending a review of the availability of staff could further affect the railway’s finances.
What should have been the best year ever for the Strathspey Railway family has turned into one of the worst with allegations circulating throughout the railway regarding discipline and financial mismanagement.
A spokesperson for the ‘group’ who want change at the railway made unsubstantiated claims of harassment and bullying at the railway which the directors of the SRC vigorously deny.
He did not address the severity of the financial position of the business’s cash flow projection and ended his time with the statement that ‘if the ‘group’ don’t go away tonight with the answer they demanded, they will be leaving’.
He concluded by saying that the only real purpose of the meeting should be to hold a vote of no confidence in the board which if won would require the entire board to resign and new directors appointed from an unspecified list of names.
Although the spokesman was advised of the correct procedure for removing and appointing directors, he insisted on a vote which resulted in a majority of those in the room voting that they had no confidence in the current board.
Looking for a resolution
Following further discussions in the room it is clear that there are issues which the board requires to address including general management of the railway and the appointment of a human resources representative to ensure that both volunteers and employees have an independent person they can talk to about any issues at the railway.
Retired businessman Dave Childs said that the volunteers, employees and the volunteer run SRC board require more time to consider and resolve the differences in the issues raised at the informal meeting.
As a successful businessman he understands the issues with the present financial position of the company and knows the solution is to find common ground and to move forward with an agreed business plan which may include some changes on the SRC board.
At the end of the discussion period the SRC board directors who were present were asked if they intended to resign.
When the directors said they would not, citing that this was not correct company procedure, two of the employees walked out.
The spokesperson who is not a volunteer but a paid member of staff and who is neither a member of the SRC or the SRA, also walked out followed by a few others.
The meeting then ended with various informal discussions between volunteers and employees.
The board is willing to sit down and discuss the way forward and acknowledge the need for new people to join the board which will then allow longer serving members to step down.
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