Peterborough City Council investigation into £1 disposal of land occupied by £4.6 million John Mansfield Centre is handed to police
A council investigation into the £1 disposal of land occupied by the £4.6 million John Mansfield Centre in Peterborough five years ago has been handed to police, it has been revealed.
The council revealed earlier today that it commissioned an external investigation into the disposal of the freehold land to the City College Peterborough Foundation.
A just-released Peterborough City Council document reveals that questions about the disposal of the land were first raised in 2022 with the arrival of the new chief executive Matt Gladstone. An external investigation agency was commissioned to do a report on the matter.
The council document, which goes before the ruling Cabinet this week, states that the findings of the report were passed to the police and, as a result, an investigation is underway.
The council report centres around the decision to dispose of the freehold of the John Mansfield Centre land to the Foundation, which is a charity separate from City College Peterborough and the process around it.
The investigation involved the financial years from 2019/20 to 2022/23 the report states.
The focal point of the issue is the decision by the council to transfer part of the freehold land which contained the John Mansfield Centre (JMC) to the Peterborough City College Foundation for £1 in 2020 having previous been approved in 2019.
The council document also raises questions around the lease agreement between the council and the foundation in respect of the college’s occupation for the JMC.
The report states that the council is now considering a number of next steps and that it would continue to give assistance to the police investigation.
Councillors are also being advised to agree to take a number of steps including a comprehensive review of all relevant processes and additional training for staff and councillors.
Councillor Mohammed Jamil, cabinet member for finance and corporate governance, said it was right and proper for the issues to be investigated.
He said the council had been on an “improvement journey since 2022” and they were “committed to rapid and far-reaching improvements in relation to governance and financial management”.
He added that recommendations for the cabinet meeting sought to bolster already introduced new processes further.
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire police said three people were arrested earlier this year in relation to the case and remain under investigation.