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Woking Corruption

Leigh Clarke

Section 151 Officer / Director of Finance|2014-2023
Under FRC investigation (opened February 2025)

Served as the council's Section 151 Officer, the statutory role responsible for financial oversight and ensuring the lawfulness of expenditure. Failed to issue timely warnings about the unsustainability of the council's debt. Also held a directorship at KCSC while negotiating the GolDev loan for development on KCSC-owned land. Under FRC investigation since February 2025.

Key Actions

  • Failed to issue a Section 114 notice or other formal warnings about unsustainable debt levels during her tenure
  • Held a directorship at KCSC while overseeing the £250m GolDev loan for development on KCSC-owned land
  • Her husband was a minor shareholder of Woking FC, compounding the conflict of interest
  • Signed off council accounts during the period of most aggressive borrowing
  • Did not adequately flag the financial risks posed by lending to Thameswey companies and GolDev
  • Under formal FRC investigation covering financial years 2017-2023

Details

Leigh Clarke was appointed as Woking Borough Council's Section 151 Officer and Director of Finance in April 2014. As the council's chief financial officer, she held the statutory responsibility for ensuring the proper administration of the council's financial affairs. She remained in post until March 2023 - shortly before the council was declared effectively bankrupt.

Under the Local Government Finance Act 1988, the Section 151 Officer has a duty to report to the council if they believe it is about to make an unlawful expenditure or if it appears the expenditure will exceed available resources. Clarke did not issue such a report despite the council's debt reaching extraordinary levels during her tenure.

During Clarke's time as s151 Officer, the council's borrowing escalated from several hundred million pounds to approaching £2 billion. Major commitments including the £250 million lending to GolDev and the escalating costs of Victoria Square occurred on her watch.

Clarke was simultaneously a director of Kingfield Community Sports Centre Limited (KCSC) - the company that owned the Woking FC stadium land - while serving as the council officer responsible for the financial oversight of the £250 million GolDev loan for development on that same land. Her husband was also a minor shareholder of Woking FC. Independent investigator Dr Gifty Edila found this arrangement was 'driving a coach and horses through the Nolan principles' of public office.

Clarke signed off the council's accounts during a period when the Grant Thornton Public Interest Report would later find that practices were 'potentially unlawful.' The FRC investigation covers her compliance with governance, reporting, regulations, and professional standards for the financial years 2017 to 2023.

The Financial Reporting Council opened a formal investigation into Leigh Clarke in February 2025, alongside Ray Morgan. This represents the first formal regulatory action against individuals involved in the scandal and could result in disciplinary sanctions.

Sources

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