Tees Valley Regeneration urged to improve governance

Stockton North MP Frank Cook first raised concerns about the company with regeneration minister Lord Rooker. This led to a review from the ODPM and another from regional development agency One North East. The reports found no evidence of impropriety, but both advised Tees Valley Regeneration to make a number of changes.

These include greater clarity in the appointment of directors, a full record of directors’ conflicts of interests and full recording of procurement orders for work to be done on behalf of the company.

One problem cited in the reports was the lack of a physical register of Tees Valley Regeneration members’ interests. There were also questions about whether appointments to its board had been made in accordance with the Nolan principles, which cover the way people should be appointed to public bodies.

Graham Roberts, interim chairman of Tees Valley Regeneration, said changes would be made, but the company had done nothing wrong.

He said: “Tees Valley Regeneration, like all urban regeneration companies, is a young organisation and working with our partners we have had to establish our own appropriate procedures.

“While there was no physical register of members’ interests until after recommendations made by the company’s audit committee were approved on 19 January, that does not mean interests were not appreciated or understood – simply that they were not listed.

“There has been no accusation of wrongdoing from any quarter. Indeed there could not be.”

A spokesman for One North East said it was “content that Tees Valley Regeneration has agreed to implement the recommendations”.