Summary of Due Diligence: Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner candidates.
Jamie Bennett (Lib dem), Katy Bourne (Conservative), Jonathan Christopher Kent (Green) and Paul Adrian Richards (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Executive summary of due diligence report on the four candidates standing for Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner on May 2nd.
Exception report, summary of non-compliance with electoral practice:
Jamie Bennett, the Liberal Democrat candidate’s due diligence report reveals concerns regarding transparency and potential conflicts of interest. While Bennett highlights his experience as a local councillor, his failure to disclose his employment at Travelodge Brighton in his election address raises questions. Ambiguity surrounds his "Sensitive Interests," and the potential association of Travelodge with the Home Office in housing asylum seekers adds complexity. Maintaining independence from government bodies is crucial for candidates, ensuring accountability and upholding democratic principles.
Katy Bourne, the Conservative candidate fails to disclose sponsorship by the Conservative Party in her Register of Interests and biography on the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioners website. Bourne's declares directorships in her Register of Interests, since December 2022, for which she does not have delegated powers :
The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners
BlueLight Commercial Limited
Police Digital Service
College of Policing Limited
Bourne has a history of registering multiple unique identifiers in Companies House. In addition, she failed to disclose the directorships listed above, for ten years, to the Sussex Police and Crime Panel, for scrutiny, transparency and to be held to account. She has been operating as Police and Crime Commissioner, without accountability.
Jonathan Christopher Kent, Green party candidate fails to be transparent about his directorship of Black Coffee Productions Limited, which trades as Black Coffee PR. The accounts for this company are overdue. The “Filleted accounts” present unrealistic figures for the year ending 31 May 2022. I will refer Mr Kent to the police for electoral misconduct for these offences.
Paul Adrian Richards, the Labour and Co-operative Party candidate, fails to disclose his company, Paul Richards Communications Limited, in his election address. Moreover, the active secretary of his company, BKPS Limited, is not disclosed in the company's accounts. This omission is concerning as BKPS Limited serves as an active secretary for other entities, including Labourlist Limited, Flixton Osteopathic Clinic Limited, and Financial Sense Limited. The failure to disclose these connections raises the potential for conflicts of interest, particularly considering that LabourList Limited is funded by Unite the Union and Fire Brigades Union. Urgent scrutiny and action are necessary to ensure transparency and integrity in the electoral process. He also omits his previous directorships of One World Action, Nicaragua Health Fund, Urban Visions Ltd, and 109 Limited. These discrepancies warrant further scrutiny to ensure accountability and transparency in Mr. Richards' candidacy.
These offences undermine transparency and accountability in the electoral process, warranting urgent investigation and appropriate action to uphold the integrity of the election and public trust in democratic institutions.
The detailed due diligence on the candidates for the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner election, is available here: