Stephen Akers-Belcher said he needed time off for compassionate reasons - but was pictured the same day aboard HMS Warrior . A mayor has been sacked from his job at the council after he was given paid leave to attend a funeral - but visited a warship instead . Stephen Akers-Belcher said he needed time off for compassionate reasons - but was pictured the same day aboard HMS Warrior . Photos emerged of him representing the council at an event on the famous battle ship , 323 miles from his patch . Following a disciplinary hearing the Mayor of Hartlepool was dismissed from his care manager role with Newcastle City Council for gross misconduct . Akers-Belcher claims he has actually been sacked for whistle blowing after he made a series of allegations involving the authority 's protection of vulnerable adults . But the authority denied that was the case and said the allegations were investigated by the council and police but no further action was taken . A spokesman for Newcastle City Council said : 'Stephen Akers-Belcher 's allegations were treated with the utmost seriousness . 'We contacted the police and called in an independent expert to investigate his claims . 'The police investigated and took no action , and following a comprehensive investigation , the council is satisfied that the level of service it provides is very good . 'Stephen Akers-Belcher was dismissed after he took time off work to attend a funeral when in fact he was attending an official function in his capacity as Mayor of Hartlepool . 'When we asked him to provide evidence to show that he was at a funeral he failed to do so and subsequently failed to provide any evidence to the employment tribunal . 'He was not dismissed because of whistle blowing , and his first allegations were made after the council started its investigation into his conduct . 'Sufficient information to investigate the allegations was only provided by him three months later - after he was dismissed for gross misconduct . 'It is not the case that he was dismissed for whistle blowing . ' The Mayor claimed to be at a funeral on Thursday , January 16 of last year , but was actually photographed on board HMS Warrior . Historic warship HMS Warrior was 323 miles away from where Akers-Belcher his job in Newcastle . He visited the boat , which was previously restored in Hartlepool , 323 miles away in Portsmouth . The visit was subsequently reported by the local paper , the Hartlepool Mail , and the councillor claimed he had been there to learn about how to promote regeneration and tourism in Hartlepool . Akers-Belcher has now declined to comment on his attendance at the meeting and the Portsmouth visit other than to repeat that he had 'done nothing wrong ' .
Stephen Akers-Belcher said he needed time off for compassionate reasons . But the council leader was pictured the same day aboard Newcastle City Council . The mayor was dismissed for his care manager role for gross misconduct . Akers-Belcher claims he has actually been sacked for whistle blowing .