AN award-winning youth leader has been fired from his position at Burnham Youth Centre following an investigation into allegations of misconduct, despite the fact that the investigation cleared him of all charges.

Joe Case, 55, of Manor Park, Slough, said: “Buckinghamshire County Council launched an investigation into me, which I welcomed. I was exonerated of everything.”

Burnham Youth Centre has been closed for over two months while the allegations were investigated and, despite Mr Case being cleared, there is still no word of when it will re-open.

Mr Case freely listed the misconduct he was accused of, which included: operating unsafe ratios of staff; grabbing and hitting young people on the arm; clipping a young person around the ear; allowing young people access to a place where knives were kept; calling people lazy and useless for not raising money for the club and shaking a four-year-old who crossed the road without permission.

Buckinghamshire County Council determined that there was no evidence to support any of the allegations made.

Despite this, Mr Case was fired from his position at the youth centre.

Mr Case said: “I was laid off for over two months for the investigation, not even at full pay. I was told to take sick leave. I was exonerated, and then they fired me. I’m just as confused as anybody. Parents have put together a petition, and have been calling the chairman, but there’s no replies, nothing. I’ll be bankrupt next month. I’m self-employed, I’ve been working there for over six years. I have a very, very, good reputation with 99 per cent of parents. There’s a tiny handful that are hostile to me because I banned their children from the club. I’ve had letters of recommendation from loads of parents.”

Chairwoman of Burnham Youth Centre Trust, Lin Hazell, advised Mr Case in a letter that at the most recent meeting of the trustees, on August 31: “A unanimous decision was made to terminate your services...and that any application from you regarding the role of youth leader in the future will not be considered.

“Your general approach to the trustees, the content of your Facebook comments, emails, etc, have been of an aggressive and unacceptable nature, in fact your behaviour is also a cause for concern for an individual who wishes to work with children at a senior management level.”

Karen Brown, 46, who’s two children used to attend the centre said: “It’s appalling the way he’s been treated, as well as the volunteers. The worst part is we’ve had absolutely no communication from the Trustees. I know of at least a dozen parents that have been calling and e-mailing them for six weeks to find out why the centre is still not open, but there’s been no response.”

A general meeting between parents and Trustees will be held on Wednesday, September 27 at 7.30pm, at Burnham Youth Centre, to discuss the future of the club.