A government minister has been urged to launch an independent inquiry into the appointment of Humber Local Enterprise Partnership interim chairman Stephen Parnaby.
The approach to Local Government Minister Simon Clarke has been made via Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, by one of the overlooked candidates for the position, Mike Whitehead.
It comes after Lord Haskins stepped aside, just weeks after a recruitment process for his permanent successor was scrapped, in which both and a third senior professional figure featured.
The LEP’s action has been justified because the role is deemed an interim one, but with it stated it could for two-to-three years - as devolution in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire is negotiated, it has brought fierce criticism.
Mr Whitehead, who is the Chamber’s vice president, claimed it was “skulduggery and gerrymandering” and a “blatant abuse of process”, with the letter to Westminster headed ‘Malfeasance at Humber LEP”. Hull and East Riding’s MPs have also been copied in.
Chamber chief executive Dr Ian Kelly has already labelled it "a grubby fix".
Mr Whitehead said: “I have consulted with friends, business colleagues and politicians as well as my fellow candidate and I decided to write to Simon Clarke, the responsible minister, to politely ask him to conduct an independent inquiry into this matter.
“The whole recruitment process has been engineered to set up this job for Mr Parnaby. “When he resigned as leader of East Riding Council after having represented them on the LEP board and its predecessors of 23 years, Lord Haskins kept him on the board and made him deputy chair without consultation and following due process.”
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Listing the delays and then scrapping of the process he was part of, and correspondence stating that a new process would launch at an appropriate time - only for Mr Parnaby to be revealed last week - Mr Whitehead said: “This is gerrymandering at its worst and I hope the minister will investigate the LEP and its recruitment process.
“I also call on the many good decent members of the LEP board to stand up and be counted and question this ‘two to three year interim’ oxymoron of an appointment.”
The property developer, who was elected to the Chamber at February’s annual meeting, added: “The LEP is a public body and the post of chair is paid from public funds. It is responsible for supporting the development of the local economy and encouraging the employment of local people. They dispense hundreds of millions of pounds of public funds and they need to follow proper procedures."
“The sad thing is that this tarnishes the legacy of Lord Haskins at a time when the LEP has failed to embrace the concerns of South Bank based politicians.
“The really sad thing is that the people of this area will suffer because Government are sick and tired of the factional nature of our local political representatives.
“As a result successive governments have washed their hands of us, leaving us to be ignored whilst all of the investment goes to Leeds and Manchester.
“I am gratified by the support I have received from many quarters and I do hope it is not too late to reverse this sad state of affairs. The people of this area need fresh blood into such a vital role, not more of the same.”
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Lord Haskins has defended the move following the announcement, stating it is all above board and that the LEP board’s backing and the approval of Mr Clarke was sought.
In an interview with Business Live he went on to state that the political split, Covid-19 response and Brexit fall-out needed experience at the helm of the LEP.
It is understood the third figure has moved on and is no longer interested in the role.