May 11, 2021 5.18 pm This story is over 34 months old

Call for investigation over council’s leisure company director’s conduct

Private company investments allegedly not declared
Councillors also raised questions over SKDC finance chief Councillor Adam Stokes.

A South Kesteven and Lincolnshire County Councillor has had a complaint made against him regarding an “apparent failure” to declare his private shareholdings with two companies.

The Grantham & Stamford Labour Party has called for an investigation into Conservative Councillor Adam Stokes, Portfolio Holder for Finance & Resources on SKDC.

In a press statement, they said Councillor Stokes had been appointed as a director of the council-owned company Leisure SK company, but did not disclose financial interests in two companies they said “could potentially be directly the beneficiary of council funds distributed by this new company”.

The statement added the councillor had failed to update the register of interests at both SKDC and LCC when he became a shareholder in the companies.

“We expect a full investigation to take place to understand why these interests have not been registered,” said the statement.

“It is vitally important that we hold our elected officials to the highest possible standards. Failure to do so is doing a disservice to the people of Grantham and the whole of South Kesteven.

“We look forward to working constructively with both councils to get to the bottom of this complaint.”

The party noted the formation of SKDC’s private sector companies, which include DiscoverSK and EnvironmentSK, had already limited scrutiny.

A statement from SKDC said: “A complaint has been received which the council is processing in line with procedure.”

However, an LCC spokesman said no complaint had so far been received by them.

When contacted Councillor Stokes referred the reporter to the statement from SKDC.