A top Labour councillor in Reading has been accused of impropriety and a conflict of interest over work on the Cartwheeling Boys sculpture.
The Cartwheeling Boys was gifted to Reading by Düsseldorf in 1981, damaged by Storm Eunice in 2022 and was recently reinstalled on the side of the council offices in Bridge Street.
The Affable Design Company, which helped with the repairs, is owned by councillor Adele Barnett-Ward and her husband, Edmund.
A total of £10,644 was paid to Affable in 2024/25, split into three payments of £6,279, £2,340 and £2,025.
The Green Party first flagged a possible conflict. Cllr Barnett-Ward says she immediately declared an interest and removed herself from the decision-making process; the council says she had no involvement in choosing Affable.
Cllr Dave McElroy (Green, Redlands) said: "I wouldn't have put myself in that position, no way, not a good look at all."
He added: "I don't understand why the council didn't declare it in their press release. I mean, they found time to promote the company, but not declare that the company is owned by a senior councillor in the administration?"
Cllr Raj Singh (Conservative, Kentwood) warned: "Following repeated controversies involving Labour councillors, public trust in politics in Reading is already at a low ebb. This case risks eroding it further."
Cllr Barnett-Ward is standing to keep her Thames ward seat for Labour. The Green candidate there is David Clarke; the Conservative candidate is Jaykumar Patel. The Liberal Democrat candidates mentioned are Christopher Burden (Thames) and Dr John Grout (Battle). Other Thames contenders are Alexander Kelly (Reform UK) and James Halls (Social Democratic Party).
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
