Calls have been made for an investigation into how a school wasted £100,000 on payments to a builder and why its caretaker became a “scapegoat”.

We can reveal Stanford Primary School was the subject of a police fraud investigation after a council auditor noticed financial irregularities dating back to 2007.

Gary Savage, 53, the school’s live-in caretaker of 28 years, was suspended by the school’s headteacher, Keran Currie, in September 2009, but was reinstated in June 2010 after being cleared of any wrongdoing.

During that time, Mr Savage was arrested and questioned by police and council officers, an ordeal which his union representative said has harmed his physical and mental health.

And, despite a police and council investigation, no one has been charged with any offence or faced disciplinary proceedings.

Caretaker "may never be the same again"

Councillor Peter Walker, Merton Council’s cabinet member for education and Unison has called on the council’s chief executive, Ged Curran, to launch an investigation into events at the school in Chilmark Road, Norbury.

Mitcham and Morden MP, Siobhain McDonagh, agreed there should be an investigation and said: “I have never heard of something like this happen before at a school.

“I was a governor at Liberty Middle School and I have a very high opinion of school governors, but this sounds very serious.

"My heart goes out to the caretaker and his family.

“But also just think of what £100,000 could have done for Stanford’s kids instead of being wasted.”

Mr Savage declined to comment on the story for fear of losing his job, but Rosemary McLoughlin, branch secretary of Unison Merton, said: “Gary was supported by us during this ordeal, which can only be described as a travesty of justice and a horrendous experience that nobody should have to endure.”

“Gary is a totally honest, hardworking man who is committed to his job. He was used by management as a scapegoat and a red herring to cover their gross incompetence.

“There was never a shred of evidence that associated him with any wrong-doing or suggested he should be the subject of any investigation.

“This whole situation has caused indescribable stress to Gary and his family which is ongoing, to the detriment of their physical and mental health.

“His wife, who is also battling a potentially life-threatening condition, undoubtedly exacerbated by stress, doubts her husband will ever be the same man again.”

Builder won 68 school contracts in a row

An investigation was launched in 2009 after a council auditor discovered irregular payments being made to a construction firm, Complete Care Property Maintenance (CCPM), which received £191,000 over two years for work estimated by auditors to be worth £93,000.

Under council rules, contractors appointed to do more than £1,000 work at schools must bid for a tender against at least one other company.

CCPM won 68 tender bids in a row from the school and its owner, Tony Nicholls, admitted to police he submitted faked invoices from other companies after the work to satisfy council rules.

Mr Nicholls, who was never charged with any offence, was contacted but refused to comment.

The police investigation concluded headteacher Mrs Currie, who was responsible for the relevant budget, should not face any charges and Merton Council would not answer whether she had faced disciplinary proceedings over the matter.

At the time of the investigation, Mrs Currie, who is still the school’s headteacher, said she was under pressure to modernise the school.

Merton Council: "No further investigations planned"

We contacted Stanford Primary School but were told Mrs Currie was unavailable for comment.

A Merton Council spokeswoman said no further action would be taken unless new evidence came to light.

The council also said it would not comment on why, despite the caretaker being exonerated after a lengthy investigation, there was no similar investigation into others at the school with financial responsibility.

The spokeswoman said: “These allegations dating back to 2008 have been thoroughly investigated by the police, the council’s internal audit team and have also been subject to an independent investigation commissioned by the school’s governing body.

“These investigations have now been concluded and relevant action has been taken.”

Mrs McLoughlin said this matter was not just important in terms of public finances, but because this episode occurred in an environment where young children are being taught.

She said: “We send our children to school, not just to be educated but to learn right from wrong.

“Considering all the underlying malpractice and deception, one must question the suitability of the environment which offers this type of leadership for children in their formative years.”

Are you a parent or ex-pupil at this school? What do you think? Leave a comment below, call 020 8722 6335 or email: ooakes@london.newsquest.co.uk.