A UNION leader claims civil action has been ruled out at a school where £1.9m was allegedly dished out in “unlawful” bonuses.

Sir Alan Davies, ex-headteacher of Copland Community School, in Wembley, was personally paid more than £600,000 on top of his salary over five years.

He resigned following an investigation by Brent Council, alongside bursar Columbus Udokoro and Human Resources manager Michelle Bishop, who face internal disciplinary charges of gross misconduct, while deputy head Dr Richard Evans was sacked.

Hank Roberts, the union leader who blew the whistle on bonuses at the school, claimed money had to be taken from the school's budget and pumped into maintenance of the crumbling school building.

He also claimed the Interim Executive Board, parachuted in to replace the governors who were also sacked last year, had decided not to pursue a civil action to get back the money.

He said: “Surely teachers and parents would want to know why they aren't trying to get any of the money back? It's pretty outrageous.

“There have been a few morale problems at Copland. Can nobody do something about this, not only for the teachers but for the pupils?”

The biggest sums dished out to Sir Alan and Dr Evans came in the form of project management fees for a planned rebuild of Copland.

But the scheme collapsed leaving the council with a potential £1m debt and the school forced to rethink plans to replace the outdated building.

An unpublished report produced at the end of the council's probe was handed to the Met Police fraud squad in January, but detectives are still deciding whether to launch an investigation.

Roy Evans, who chairs the board, said: “I cannot make any comment at present that may prejudice ongoing action.”

Under the Contempt of Court Act, the risk of prejudice in criminal cases starts when an individual is arrested or charged, or a warrant or summons is issued.

None of these steps has been taken by the Met.

Sir Alan and Dr Evans have both contacted the Harrow Times saying they are innocent.

John Christie, director of children and families at the council, described the bonuses as “unlawful and irrational” in a letter to the board of governors before it was disbanded last year.