FRAUDSTER HAD ACCESS TO THE COUNCIL’S MOST SENIOR TEAM
AS DEPUTY LEADER JOHN FENTY RESIGNS DOCUMENT REVEALS TOP-LEVEL TALKS WITH CONMAN
CONVICTED fraudster Alex May had meetings with the most senior team at North East Lincolnshire Council, it can be revealed. Documents obtained by the Grimsby Telegraph show that May attended a meeting with council chief executive Rob Walsh, council leader Philip Jackson and former deputy leader John Fenty - who resigned on Monday night following scrutiny of his business relationship with him.
May is a convicted conman who was jailed for six years for ripping off elderly people in a mortgage scam. North East Lincolnshire Council has confirmed “senior members” met with Mr May but claims that they had “no detailed knowledge of Mr May’s past at the time”.
Mr May has admitted that he had met with the council, and introduced members to potential investors in regard to the regeneration of the town.
But the access that Mr May had to the top team from NELC raises more serious questions about the fraudster’s dealings with the council and how Mr Fenty helped him when the two were also engaged in talks over private business dealings and May’s potential investment in Grimsby Town, where he is majority shareholder. The Grimsby Telegraph has seen an email exchange between advisors to May and the council leaders which show they met, along with Colin Dodd – who was involved in a failed takeover of Grimsby Town – in September last year.
The email shows that Nottingham-based firm Leonard Design were tasked with a joint venture between the football club and the council for the regeneration of the town, including the relocation of the Mariners.
It is also shown that Mr Walsh offered to facilitate a workshop with council officers as part of the deal, which is understood to have taken place around October, although it is not known whether Mr May was present for this follow-up meeting.
Further documents show the plans put forward for the regeneration of the town, including sites such as Blundell Park, Freeman Street, Clee Fields and Peaks Parkway. Designs for a new stadium on Freeman Street are shown, while it is proposed that the land on Blundell Park be developed for residential use.
Mr Fenty and Mr May set up a company together in April, although Mr May has since resigned from his role as director, with Mr Fenty acquiring his shares.
Mr Fenty resigned from his role as deputy leader of the council and portfolio holder for regeneration on Monday night after Grimsby Live revealed his partnership with May. He said he didn’t want to let “matters in my private business life become a drain on the Administration”.
North East Lincolnshire Council last night issued a statement confirming May had access to top officials.
A spokesman said: “Senior Council officers were approached last year by representatives of a consortium expressing a desire to regenerate sites within the borough, ostensibly around a stadium proposal, but also around a potential development interest in Council owned assets.
“As with other interest that potential investors show in the borough, it’s incumbent on the authority to explore such opportunities in the same way others areas do across the country. “Officers were aware of and gave immediate advice about actual and perceived conflicts of interest with Councillor Fenty.
“After the introductory meeting with the consortium (16th September 2019) a second meeting was held on 4th October 2019 to explore the consortium’s proposal. The consortium was supported by professional advisors from several disciplines – Planning/ Architects/Legal. Alex May was present at both meetings as the consortium co-ordinator. At this point officers had no detailed knowledge of Mr May’s past.
“At the Chief Executive’s request, due diligence carried out by officers raised questions about the merits of continuing with discussions. The discussions around the stadium didn’t progress any further from that point. Discussions on assets did continue with the consortium but without Mr May being involved and they ultimately resulted in a similar outcome.
“We can confirm that the council has not or never had any business relationship with Mr May.”
Mr May – formerly known as Alick Kapikanya – was jailed for six years in 2014 for leading a gang of con artists who targeted elderly home owners in the Manchester area, having been found to have stolen £3.5 million and attempted to secure another £3.3 million. Simple Google searches reveal his conviction and how May led a gang of con artists who stole the identities of elderly homeowners and secretly seized ownership of their houses before repeatedly remortgaging them.
May also reportedly acted as an advisor in Mr Dodd’s takeover bid of Grimsby Town, and remained friends with Mr Fenty after the bid failed.
Mr Fenty has since invited him to some games at Blundell Park this season, with Mr May confirming his intentions to buy shares in the club. On his involvement with North East Lincolnshire Council, Mr May told BBC Radio Humberside: “In the town, if there is any opportunities in relation to regeneration, I would be part of it. I have introduced a number of professionals to look at the regeneration.
“My interest in the club was purely to help the club where it needed financial assistance, and I was going to introduce investment into the club and perhaps help with the relocation of the club.
“There are no promises made to me. It’s clear we’re facing financial difficulties in businesses, and if there was any input in terms of investment into the club, the club would welcome that.
“Of course they would carry out their due diligence to make sure the funds they’re receiving are clear and clean. I have met some members of the council to look at regeneration. I was making introductions of the regeneration for that purpose.”
In the town, if there is any opportunities in relation to regeneration, I would be part of it.
Alex May