Questions over ‘political appointments’ on council leisure company

The appointment of two councillors to run a leisure company has been delayed over questions about their credentials.

South Kesteven District Councillors Helen Crawford and Paul Wood were to be replacements on the board of the council-owned LeisureSK.

The council leader and deputy leader resigned from it in November to prevent a conflict of interest with the closure of the Deepings Leisure Centre.

However, a council meeting wanted proof of the new appointments’ expertise before approving them.

LeisureSK is an arms-length company which runs council leisure centres in Grantham, Stamford and Bourne.

Tuesday’s Companies Committee meeting heard scepticism about whether Councillors Crawford and Wood should be placed on the board.

Councillor Philip Knowles (leader of the Democratic Independents) said: “We don’t have information about these councillors or their backgrounds. They are political appointments made on a political basis.”

Councillor Ashley Baxter (leader of Alliance SK) claimed the councillors’s other work would interfere with the job.

“If they don’t understand the leisure industry or have business experience, they shouldn’t be directors,” he said.

“In my opinion, there is a clear conflict with their other roles in council.”

LeisureSK runs the council’s leisure centre, including the Meres Leisure Centre in Grantham | Photo: SKDC

Councillor Helen Crawford is the Chair of SKDC, and Councillor Paul Wood recently seconded a proposal to permanently shut the Deepings Leisure Centre.

The meeting was told that the recommendations for the pair had come from the administration.

A report mistakenly said they had come from the board of LeisureSK.

Councillor Baxter proposed Councillors Kaffy Rice-Oxley and Virginia Moran instead, saying they had more relevant experience.

It was decided to defer the appointments until the March meeting when more information could be gathered on the candidates.

This temporarily leaves the company without any elected officials on the board.

Councillor Rosemary Trollope-Bellew, a member, also unexpectedly resigned from the board and left the Conservative group.

LeisureSK can continue to function in the meantime through non-political appointments.

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