Sacha Lord announced his resignation as the nighttime economy adviser for Greater Manchester, citing emotional strain on his family as a driving factor. The statement comes amid an ongoing Arts Council investigation into a £401,928 grant awarded to Primary Event Solutions, a company in which Lord held a minority stake. While an initial 2022 probe found no misuse of public funds, recent developments have prompted further scrutiny and calls for the grant's repayment.
In recent months, Lord faced mounting pressures that have led to his decision to step down. He expressed that the experience has "only reinforced the importance of protecting and spending more time with my loved ones during this period of my life as a new father." Mayor Andy Burnham accepted his resignation, praising Lord as a "brilliant and vocal champion" who had supported the city selflessly.
The Arts Council's Culture Recovery Fund provided the grant in 2021 as part of efforts to support the cultural sector during the Covid-19 pandemic. The scheme offered financial aid ranging from £50,000 to £3 million. Primary Event Solutions reportedly utilized the funds "appropriately to support staff wages and company stability during the pandemic," according to Lord. The funds also facilitated a streaming event that raised £583,000 for local cultural entities impacted by lockdown measures.
Despite these outcomes, the Arts Council initiated additional checks in May 2024 after receiving new information concerning the grant application. The council emphasized its commitment to accountability, stating, "We take our role as custodians of public money very seriously." In response, Lord acknowledged the presence of "a small number of unintended oversights" but maintained that there was no deliberate intent to mislead.
Lord has worked closely with the Arts Council throughout the process, asserting that "while we acknowledge the change in grant status, we appreciate that Arts Council England have found that there is no finding against the company that it deliberately misled the Arts Council in this application." He also expressed concern over inconsistencies in how the review was conducted.
The Arts Council seeks to reclaim the grant awarded to Primary Event Solutions following further analysis. Lord stated, "If concerns are raised to us about a grant application or award, we investigate and take the appropriate action." He reiterated his belief that there was no intention to deceive or gain personally from the grant.
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