Former council worker and whistleblower brings claim for unfair dismissal

Represented by law firm Leigh Day, Mr Jolley, who worked for the council from July 2016 until his dismissal in January 2026, alleges he was dismissed after repeatedly raising concerns that Trafford's Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) was unlawful, and then referring affected residents to specialist lawyers when his concerns were “not addressed internally”.   

In September 2025, the High Court quashed Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council’s new Council Tax Reduction Scheme, after finding it was both “unlawfully adopted” and “discriminatory” against disabled people and carers receiving certain benefits.

In LL & AU v Trafford MBC [2025] EWHC 2380 (Admin), His Honour Judge Pearce granted permission and allowed the judicial review, brought by two women, on both grounds.

According to Leigh Day, Mr Jolley had raised concerns about the council’s CTRS internally with managers before seeking external legal advice and referring individual residents for specialist representation, due to the strict time limits for bringing a judicial review challenge.

Mr Jolley now alleges that, instead of addressing his legitimate concerns, Trafford Council sought to minimise the issues and suspended him in April 2025 after he assisted his clients to obtain specialist legal advice.

He claims that he was then subjected to “lengthy disciplinary proceedings” before ultimately being dismissed for gross misconduct in January 2026. 

According to Leigh Day, the former employee’s claim argues that he was unfairly dismissed because he made protected disclosures under whistleblowing legislation and was subjected to detriments, including suspension and disciplinary action, because he raised concerns about the lawfulness of the council’s scheme.

The claim alleges that the High Court’s findings vindicated the concerns he had raised months earlier, both internally and externally, about the operation of the scheme.

Ryan Bradshaw, Human Rights Partner at Leigh Day, said: “This claim raises important issues about the protection afforded to employees who raise concerns about unlawful conduct in the course of their work. As a dedicated public servant Alex repeatedly attempted to raise his concerns internally before seeking external legal advice on behalf of residents. The appearance that he has been dismissed for seeking to ensure thousands of Trafford residents were not disadvantaged by an unlawful policy is incredibly troubling. 

"The law is clear that workers should not be subjected to disciplinary action or dismissal because they make protected disclosures in the public interest. Alex’s case will seek to ensure this important law is upheld."  

Trafford Council declined to comment.

Lottie Winson