Former Homecoming Scotland PR boss begins Tribunal hearing
Richard Saville-Smith, former PR manager for Homecoming Scotland 2009 began his tribunal hearing against Scottish tourism body VisitScotland today claiming that he was unfairly discriminated against under disability legislation.
Saville-Smith claims that his workload alongside the lack of resources and management style caused him to suffer a bipolar episode and that he spend around two months in hospital as a result of the job.
He was dismissed from his role which charged him with overseeing a £250,000 budget, on Christmas Eve last year after six months.
Saville-Smith claimed that Homecoming Scotland has a “troubled history”.
He said: "This post that I was recruited into was a troubled post, where the previous incumbent had just resigned pretty much just as soon as she became full time, where the previous incumbent had never been more than part-time during all the crucial planning stages."
He continued: "Not appointing a full-time PR manager in a campaign that had to be led from the front on a PR global basis must seem inept in my view."
He also explained that he oversaw hundreds of events and had requested more help and resources and had also advised against the use of the song Caledonia in the Homecoming TV advert, which The Drum understands was recommended to advertising agency The Union by Homecoming Scotland itself.
A spokesperson for VisitScotland was unable to comment other than to say: “As this involved a former member of staff we are unable to comment at the moment but details of the case will continue to emerge during the tribunal this week.”