Gove appoints director of law at county council to independent panel on Teesworks "corruption" allegations

Michael Gove has appointed Quentin Baker, Hertfordshire County Council's Director of Law and Governance and a former President of LLG, to a three-person panel tasked with conducting an independent review of the Tees Valley Combined Authority's oversight of the South Tees Development Corporation (STDC) and Teesworks Joint Venture.

Angie Ridgwell, Chief Executive of Lancashire County Council and previously a Director General at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, has been appointed as lead reviewer.

Richard Paver, who was previously the first Treasurer of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has also been appointed to the panel.

The trio will review specific allegations of corruption, illegality and wrongdoing raised and look at governance and financial management.

Gove decided to order an independent review in response to a request from Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, following media reports and debate in Parliament that questioned a land sale made by the STDC, which Houchen chairs.

Ben Houchen denies any claims of wrongdoing and has welcomed the review.

Commenting on the appointments, Local Government Minister Lee Rowley said: "I want to stress we have not seen evidence of corruption, wrongdoing, or illegality in relation to Teesworks, but it is apparent the allegations present a risk to the delivery of jobs and economic growth in the region.

"Given the importance to Tees Valley of addressing this matter, and the request made by the Mayor, the government has appointed an independent panel to review the arrangements."

Gove's decision to appoint the panel himself has been criticised by some MPs, including Andy MacDonald, who was among the MPs to raise concern in the House of Commons.

MacDonald said "only an independent inquiry by the NAO [National Audit Office] will suffice".

"Instead, it is Michael Gove who will commission an 'independent review' and it is he who will appoint the panel of people to investigate Teesworks and the STDC," he stated.

However, in response to the appointment of Ridgwell, Baker and Paver, local MP Simon Clarke said: "That independent inquiry has been ordered in the usual way under the Local Government Act 1999 - legislation passed under Labour.

"It is absolutely the standard mechanism for such an inquiry and the individuals appointed today are all highly experienced local government officers."

The panel is expected to provide a report of their findings in the summer.

The STDC is a mayoral development corporation set up to promote economic development and business growth in South Tees and has powers to invest in infrastructure, attract new business and coordinate land ownership through land acquisition and the use of compulsory purchase powers.

The Tees Valley Mayor, the Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, and the Mayor of Middlesbrough are statutory posts on the STDC Board.

One of STDC's largest projects involves the regeneration of the Teesworks site, to which the allegations relate.

Adam Carey