MALVERN'S town clerk Richard Chapman has been dismissed after allegations of gross misconduct against him were upheld.

In a statement issued this afternoon, the town council says that its appeals panel met yesterday (Thursday) and upheld an earlier decision by the disciplinary panel that allegations of misconduct against Mr Chapman were well founded.

The appeal panel further decided that Mr Chapman’s actions constituted gross misconduct under the council’s bullying and harassment policy and should be treated as such.

"Therefore Mr Chapman’s employment with Malvern Town Council has been terminated with immediate effect," says the statement.

Mr Chapman had been on leave from his duties since October last year.

Mr Chapman was appointed town clerk in December 2003. Before that, he had been the council’s operations manager.