text: 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'.
target: Stephen Akers-Belcher said he needed time off for compassionate reasons .
  But the council leader was pictured the same day aboard HMS Warrior .
  The mayor was dismissed for his care manager role for gross misconduct .
  Akers-Belcher claims he has actually been sacked for whistle blowing .