A Solihull councillor is facing serious questions over a potential conflict of interest after it emerged that a community interest company she helps lead has received nearly £70,000 in council contracts since her election in May 2024.
Cllr Heather Delaney, Cabinet Member for Economy, Business and Skills, is also listed as a director of Solihull Parent Carer Voice CIC (SPCV) — a not-for-profit group that works with families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Since her election, Solihull Council has paid SPCV a total of £69,834 across six separate payments, covering services for engagement and community support. These activities fall directly within Cllr Delaney’s cabinet portfolio, which includes oversight of education, training, employment, and community development.
In a statement to The Solihull Journal, Cllr Delaney insisted she had acted properly:
“All my interests are declared and are available to view… I do not personally receive any money from these contracts and as SPCV is a not-for-profit company, as a Director I do not receive any money or reward for these contracts.”
She added that she has “not made any decisions that impact SPCV” and always declares an interest “if needed”.
But questions have been raised about the appearance of a conflict — particularly given the overlap between SPCV’s work and Cllr Delaney’s cabinet responsibilities, as well as the organisation’s registered address: 2b Manor Road, Solihull, a property owned by the Solihull Conservative Association.
While there is no suggestion that any laws have been broken, governance experts say such arrangements should be handled with extreme caution.
“Even if no laws are broken, this kind of arrangement erodes public trust,” one adviser told The Solihull Journal. “If public money is going to a CIC connected to a councillor, and it’s operating out of a party’s office, it absolutely warrants scrutiny. It may be perceived as political favouritism — which the Nolan Principles of public life are designed to guard against.”
Cllr Delaney said SPCV’s use of the Conservative-owned premises predates her election, and is purely a commercial arrangement.
“SPCV have rented an office, first at 631 Warwick Road, and then at 2B Manor Road (both owned as part of the same building) since prior to me becoming a councillor. We rent the office in the same way that many other businesses rent an office in the building.”
But opposition councillors say the optics matter — especially given wider concerns about accountability and SEND provision in the borough.
Green Party Group Leader Cllr Max McLoughlin, who represents Shirley South, told The Journal that the situation “doesn’t help provide confidence” to families already frustrated with local services:
“There is clear guidance on conflicts of interest. The Council states that this is ‘to ensure that public confidence in the integrity of local governance is maintained’. There is clearly a lack of public confidence in the delivery of support to children with SEND in Solihull.”
“Whether or not Cllr Delaney is able to avoid all conflicts of interest and abide by the guidance… remains to be seen,” he said. “Many parents feel that the Conservative administration has prioritised reputation management over service improvement.”
Cllr McLoughlin also linked the issue to what he described as a broader pattern of “hostile behaviour” and “discriminatory conduct” within the council’s ruling group, which he claims has undermined scrutiny and accountability.
“The leadership of the Council are trying to remove chairs of scrutiny that are not their preferred choice. This harms the independence of scrutiny and reduces accountability.”
“Solihull residents deserve better from their elected representatives than they are being offered by the Conservative administration,” he added.
Solihull Council declined to comment when approached by The Solihull Journal.