Police have issued a new appeal for information over planning permission bribery concerns at Slough Borough Council.
Police have issued a new request for information on planning permit bribery allegations at Slough Borough Council.
In March 2024, an architect business wrote to the council, stating that three of its clients had been required to pay £500,000 for planning permission.
The council forwarded the letter to Thames Valley Police in April. But the force stated it had ‘no current investigation’ since ‘no evidence has been uncovered to support this information at this time’.
Thames Valley Police has now asked anyone with more information to contact them, after the Observer’s publication of the letter last month.
A police spokesperson stated, “Thames Valley Police were made aware of information indicating financial impropriety at Slough Borough Council.”
“However, despite making early enquiries with identified individuals, no evidence has ever been located to support this information, and as such, no active investigation is ongoing.”
It stated: “We have lately heard directly from two clients, and indirectly from a third, that they have been approached and requested for considerable monetary contributions to influence the success of their planning applications.
“In both cases it was a direct knock on the door by persons unknown, either at their home or business addresses where a payment of £500,000.00 was requested in order to secure an approval.”
The firm stated that it suspected one of the clients had also discussed the issue with the Conservative Party’s headquarters.
It admits that it has “no proof to back up the rumors,” but adds that the “similarity of each incident is concerning.”
The email continued: “Quite frankly we had found it difficult to believe that the reports were soundly based however these clients are unknown to each other and have reported very similar approaches in the past couple of months.”
Shortly after the letter was delivered to police, Conservative councillor Iftakhar Ahmed resigned from the council’s cabinet, which is its top group of councillors and is in charge of planning.
His resignation occurred when council leader Dexter Smith offered him a new position in sport and leisure.
Speaking to the Observer at the time, councillor Ahmed stated that his departure was due to political issues with councillor Smith, not the letter.
Councillor Smith also replaced all of the Conservative members of the planning committee. He informed the Observer that this was a ‘precautionary measure’ to avoid speculation.
He further explained: “It was purely preventative because there was no evidence and no evidence has come forward since.”
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