A Burntwood councillor who was awarded funding for a tree planting project that never went ahead has paid just half of the money back so far.
Staffordshire County Council confirmed that Cllr Thomas Loughbrough-Rudd was expected to have repaid the full amount next month.
The independent representative for Burntwood North was awarded £924 for the project in the run up to his election.
But he quit the Conservatives after being suspended when it emerged he had neither bought or planted the trees – and had failed to hand the money back.
Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd has refused to answer questions on when he had not returned the full sum to the public purse or why he was not in a position to return it as soon as the project failed to materialise.
But Staffordshire County Council has confirmed that half of the sum owing has now been handed back, with the remaining balance expected next month.
The councillor resigned roles at Hammerwich Parish Council and Burntwood Town Council in the wake of the controversy, but has hung on to his remunerated county position.
However, he has come under fire from his former Conservative colleagues, with Cllr Richard Cox claiming Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd has “no integrity or principles whatsoever”.
Despite refusing to answer questions from Lichfield Live about the whereabouts of the money throughout the controversy, the Burntwood North representative previously said he would “face the music” for what had happened.
“I am deeply embarrassed and apologetic about the manner in which this has taken place.
“I will not be running away like a sheep as some people seem to want. That’s not the kind of person I am.
“No, I’ll face the music for what has happened because I didn’t put myself forward for public office to run away in self-interest.
“I don’t deny that the road ahead will be embarrassing, humiliating and potentially destructive of my character – which is something I’ll have to learn to live with – but I’ve decided the right thing to do is to face the music, whatever the cost.”
Cllr Thomas Loughbrough-Rudd, Staffordshire County Council
Last month saw the county council report the funding to Staffordshire Police after an internal investigation was completed.
How the story unfolded…
A Conservative spokesperson confirmed to Lichfield Live on 18th November that Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd had been suspended from the county council group amid concerns over the money allocated to him in the run-up to his election.
Records obtained via a Freedom of Information request subsequently showed that Cllr Lougbrough-Rudd’s Nature Nuturing Community Interest Company – although on the county council’s paperwork it is spelt as Nature Nurture – was awarded £924 under the scheme via former Conservative councillor Helen Fisher, who has since gone on to become Staffordshire Deputy Commissioner.
No date on when the application was made or money was handed over was included in a spreadsheet of information relating to the fund:
The details of who was awarded what was not made publicly available on the county council website, with the Freedom of Information request used to access details over where the funding went.
It showed that a total of £76,074.60 was handed out to 121 organisations across Staffordshire.
Among the recipients was Nature Nuturing Community Interest Company, which lists Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd as a sole director. Records show it was incorporated on 27th July 2020.
But Companies House records revealed that despite setting up the company, Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd did not submit the required confirmation statement within the first 12 months as necessary and the business was subsequently dissolved.
