Burnley councillor at centre of row over failing to declare her financial interests speaks for first time to defend herself

Burnley borough’s growth boss Coun. Lubna Khan made the statement to the authority’s full council meeting and accused Labour group leader Coun. Mark Townsend, who made the initial complaint and named her this week after challenging a Freedom of Information ruling, of ‘harassment.’

Bank Hall ward’s Burnley Independent Group’s Coun. Khan had been reprimanded last year over failing to properly declare financial interests, but was not named under the council’s code of conduct. She told last night’s meeting: “A complaint regarding my entry on the Register of Interests was submitted to the council by Coun. Mark Townsend. It was thoroughly investigated through the appropriate council processes.

“Three complaints were dismissed in full. The remaining matters were partially upheld at a low level. It was fully accepted that there was no intent to mislead, no financial gain or attempt to achieve it, no harm to the public interest, and no criminality. The matters were rectified within hours.

“The matters upheld related to the following: First, property addresses: the address where I lived, and the address of a property I had recently left. I asked the council to remove these from the public register due to receiving threats.

“The council agreed that I should remove them but asked me to complete a form so they could formally record that I had removed them with authorisation. I did not follow this up.

“Second, a company called Curae Care Limited: I set up a company which has never traded, has no contracts, and has had no business activity.

“Third, the housing joint venture - when I left the housing portfolio, I removed the housing joint venture from my register. When I was later advised that it still needed to remain declared under my current responsibilities, I put it back.

“Finally, I declared the name of my company, but did not include the address. My understanding was that the address was not asked for. “Nevertheless, that point was upheld

“Against that background, I do not accept the continued insinuations of criminality or repeated references to “hundreds of thousands of pounds” because the findings simply do not support that narrative: the insinuations are simply not true.

“For more than 16 months, Coun. Townsend and a few others have pursued prolonged and targeted “scrutiny” against me. He repeatedly challenged council officers, disputed their findings, and insisted that wrongdoing must exist, regardless of what he was told and regardless of what the evidence showed. This is not accountability. It is harassment.

“Nothing has been “brushed under the carpet,” as he has repeatedly suggested. He is accountable for the impact of his words, and for the harm caused by the continued repetition of allegations that have already been investigated and concluded. I believe strongly that public life must be built on integrity, evidence, and fairness not on personal campaigns, reputational attacks, or misogynistic intimidation.”

Coun. Townsend, who initially raised Coun. Khan’s anonymity at December’s full council meeting, replied: “Coun. Khan was named under a Freedom of Information access request. The initial complaint was justified. The investigation was justified.

“The findings of the report – which is still private, confidential – in my view are justified. The thing that wasn’t justified was, in my view, a cover up to keep the name of somebody who had breached the code of conduct private, confidential.

“I reject totally that it was a misogynistic act or a racial act or anything else.”

Former Liberal Democrat MP Coun. Gordon Birtwistle said: “Tonight I have heard one of the most powerful speeches from a councillor - a female councillor, an Asian female councillor - in support of herself against the appalling bullying and attacks on her personal life.

“I have seen comments on Facebook which sickened me. I’m not blaming Coun. Townsend. He had the right to do what he did.”