Fareham politician Sean Woodward apologies for misconduct but motorcycle team 'disappointed' with lack of action
A bitter split within a children's motorcycle display team in Fareham last year spiralled into Hampshire County Councillor Sean Woodward facing a conduct panel yesterday.
The panel unanimously agreed that Cllr Woodward had breached the members’ code, after an independent investigator presented a complex ‘jigsaw’ of ‘unusual behaviour’ surrounding a £15,000 grant to the Rockets Motorcycle Display Team.
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Hide AdCllr Woodward began attending shows with the group in 2018, before assisting with a grant application and employing one of the team’s directors, Joanne Bull.
But the grant was withdrawn by the council due to a split within the group, with Ms Bull forming display team Solent Stars – and Cllr Woodward pursuing a similar application made by the new group.
In a Facebook post, Cllr Woodward apologised for ‘a single lapse of judgement’ in his interest in the application.
Speaking to The News, he said: 'The only reason it stood out to me was because it was a very unusual application - I had never come across a motorbike display team before, and they wanted to buy a lorry.
'I have had no contact with (The Rockets) since June 2019.
'I am not going into it any further.’
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Hide AdIn 2019, The Rockets began to train at Solent Airport, which was also used by a similar and longstanding team, The Tigers.
According to Ms Bull, the working relationship between herself and the other directors ended ‘very sourly and bitterly’, with a civil court ruling earlier this year that she owed the team more than £300 in petty cash that she had retained since the split.
She said: ‘They had possessions of mine they wouldn’t release back. It did become legal. There is a court order for the return of the cash which is a couple of hundred pounds.’
One of the founding member of The Rockets said they were ‘disappointed’ that the panel recommended no further action be taken against Cllr Woodward.
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Hide AdThe director said: '(His Facebook post) leaves you guessing in his favour.
'If you are dealing with that kind of money, you don't make mistakes.
'We're grateful to the panel – but a bit disappointed that they recommended no further action.
'In our complaint, the grant is only one bit that Hampshire County Council could investigate.’