Rosemary Corden, 53, was found hanged in November last year after she took two days off sick from Staffordshire County Council, where she had worked for 19 years.
But she was reported missing by her husband, Martin, before her body was eventually found.
Today coroner Andrew Haigh said: ‘I am struck by the excessive micromanagement of Rose and the county council’s insensitivity to Rose’s needs.’
He was told Mrs Corden was expected to deliver daily colour-coded charts showing what she and her team were doing every day.
A note on her body also made reference to a ‘brutal’ staff meeting in which personal comments were made about her.
One included criticism that she had bought flowers for someone who was upset at work, suggesting she should ‘stop trying to buy friends.’
She was also concerned about her memory, although an assessment revealed that nothing was wrong.
Giving evidence, former colleague Claire Goodey said: ‘Rose had loved her job. But they kept increasing her responsibilities and not reflecting that in her pay.’
After the hearing, Mrs Corden’s husband Martin said: ‘I am pleased at the comments of the coroner, as pleased as I am able to be.
‘Rose was a wonderful person and it was just the stress of work that led to this tragedy.’
A council spokesman said: ‘We have co-operated with all requests of HM Coroner. We will now take time to carefully consider the coroner’s verdict and observations.
‘It would therefore be inappropriate to make any further comment at this time.’
Post a Comment