By Nafeesa Shan and Pete Magil

HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds in overpayments are estimated to have been made to Lancashire teachers amid a payroll ‘debacle’.

More than 300 complaints have been received regarding the One Connect wages system, which was introduced in May 2011.

One teacher was paid £24,000 for a month’s work, say union leaders, who fear the scandal is driving a wedge between teachers and headteachers.

Headteachers are angry that they are being expected to recoup the extra wages from staff, instead of One Connect.

And a county councilor has condemned bosses for turning school heads into ‘baliffs’ as they attempt to balance books.

One Connect, the joint venture company between Lancashire County Council and BT, was formed in a bid to help County Hall save £180million.

But teachers’ leaders say they have been left to deal with the fall-out from the overpayments with little or no support from the partnership.

Les Turner, Lancashire secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: “We did a survey of our members, regarding the payroll difficulties, and we stopped counting when we reached 300.

“Headteachers have been taking the flak from members of their staff and it is not their fault. Claims have been processed in school offices, sent to One Connect, and then have disappeared or there have been errors in the system.”

Sam Uddin, Lancashire secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “We have had some teachers who have come to us and said that they cannot afford to repay all of the money at once.”

Mr Uddin said examples of difficulties included supply teachers who had been paid for six-and-a-half days, instead of six-and-a-half hours’ work.

County Coun Mohammed Iqbal said: “It is not fair to be asking headteachers to act as their baliffs when the problem should be dealt with by One Connect. It’s a debacle.”

Several concerns were also raised by headteachers at a Schools Forum meeting.

A One Connect spokesman said: “We provide the payroll service to a range of organisations including over 600 schools. If an individual school has an issue they should raise the matter to seek an immediate resolution.”